Hand 2 Hand program continued to serve children during school shut down.

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Hand 2 Hand program continued to serve children during school shut down.

AMBER TOWNSHIP –Mason County Reform Church’s Hand 2 Hand program provides weekend meals for children at Mason County Central and Mason County Eastern schools. Up until the school shut-down in March, the program had been serving 95 children. When the schools were forced to close on March 13, the program sought alternative ways to get the food to the children, said program coordinator Mary DeWys.

“Our thoughts were grim as we thought about how we were going to get food to the kids,” said DeWys.  “We contacted Kevin Kimes, principal at Mason County Central Upper Elementary School.  He in turn contacted the principals from the lower elementary, middle school and the high school.  Two other church members helped with the endeavor.”

Up until the last week of school, Dr. Mark Forner, MCE principal, delivered food each week to the 14 MCE students who use the service.

“We rallied, set up delivery routes, got the food to the children,” DeWys said.  “Without the following individuals the program would have ended on March 13 and several children would had less to eat on the weekends.”

DeWys said she wanted to thank the principals and church members who assisted in continuing the program:

Kevin Kimes, MCC Upper Elementary principal; Jeff Tuka, MCC High School principal; Rob Dennis, MCC Middle School principal; Chris Etchison, Scottville Elementary principal; Dr. Mark Forner, MCE principal; Shelley and Brad Boes and Roger and Nancy Pederson of Mason County Reformed Church.