Curtis Collins, board member of The Alton Caring Corp writes,

“The Alton Caring Corp has a community garden start-up project set up for this Saturday May 29th from 8am-12noon.

“We’ve had many people in the community who have shown interest in a community garden. The land owner of the property at the corner of Ridge and Union St. in Alton has allowed the garden to be located there. Having a set location was a huge piece, because afterwards we were able to ask organizations in that neighborhood if they would be supportive of a community garden.

“The area Weed & Seed and the 3rd Street Unitarian Church showed a lot of interest. Both have members who will be at the Project Day on Saturday the 29th.

“There are so many benefits to having a community garden including self sustainability, healthier eating and neighbors enjoying a place together where they can share a common interest. It has been a challenging process and there are still some organizational decisions that have to be made in order for things to be successful, but we are moving forward.

“We also need things like a tool shed, meeting table and bench, wheel barrow, fencing and it would be nice to have a fruit tree. We have very knowledgeable and generous people who have been working on this project. We are also fortunate to have the support of Mayor Hoechst.”

If interested in helping out, please contact Curtis at 618-463-0306 or curtisco181@hotmail.com.

Patrick Mays of M.S.T.E. Inc. and a social skills specialist at Alton High School writes,

“The Alton Caring Corps held its 1^st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Exhibition game at Alton High School on Jan 18^th 2010 at 7 pm.  The game itself was comprised of students from both Alton and Marquette high schools forming one team and facing off against the Alton Fire/Police departments basketball team.

“The event was a success with estimates of 450-500 people in attendance.  The event was held by the Alton Caring Corps but many different organizations and individuals from within the community made imperative contributions in order to make this event possible.  During the 1^st annual MLK basketball game display tables were held for a meet and greet to provide attendees with information about particular organizations reaching out and offering services and opportunities within the Alton community.  The game ended in an exciting victory for the student’s squad overcoming the Alton Fire/Police departments 51-31.  The Alton Caring Corps thanks everyone who was involved in making this event possible.”

“When we started talking about ideas, I suggested that we bring students and the community together in an exhibition basketball game,” said Patrick Mays, who is founder of Minorities Stimulating The Economy (M.S.T.E.) Inc. and a social skills specialist at Alton High School.

With the help of Gregory Norris of the Alton Aces and Delancey Smith of Smith and Jones Music Group, Mays’ idea will become a reality on Jan. 18, MLK Day.

Patrick Mays

“Kudos to Mayor Hoechst for the support he’s given to come together on a day of celebration under the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King’s beliefs,” he continued.

Mays thinks that it’s important as a role model that he’s still young enough that he can relate to the kids, and vice-versa.

“We have a cycle within the community that needs to be broken,” he said. “The people who took academics seriously want to leave Alton and those who didn’t care, stay. This is something that has to stop — the kids only have those who didn’t care to look up to.

“People my age have the chance to change this,” he said. “It’s only a lost cause if people believe it’s a lost cause.”

Delancey Smith

Similarly, local rapper and hip hop artist Delancey Smith, aka Yung Cilla, wants to use his rising popularity to help steer area youth into positive situations.

“What really opened my eyes was when I realized that kids look up to me because of my sports or my music,” he explained. “I want them to have hope so they can focus on going to college and getting a job, not material stuff.”

With this goal, Smith has pledged to donate 10 percent of any proceeds from any of his events to the Boys and Girls Club of Alton.

Hoechst recently asked Smith to become the newest member of the Caring Corps steering committee.

“The mayor thinks I could talk to kids to let them know there are consequences of seeing people with big cars and nice jewelry and thinking they want to do that (sell drugs) too.”

Smith is scheduled to be perform at the game.

“I’m looking forward to this (event) more than anything,” Smith said.

Related Story: Life Skills Coach

Related Story: Music Mentor

Kathie Bassett, The Telegraph

“It meant a lot to me to tie together the Constitution with the image of Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Caring Corps steering committee member Pat Mays, who came up with the idea of an exhibition basketball game and designed the flier for the event.

“The main purpose of the basketball game is to promote volunteerism,” he said. “Bringing people together of all creeds and colors in community service is part of Dr. King’s value system to put all differences aside to serve all the people.”

Scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 in the Alton High School gym, students from Alton and Marquette Catholic High Schools will play members of the Alton Police and Fire Departments in an exhibition game.

Using the event as a call to service, the game will not only be a fun, family-friendly evening but also provide the opportunity for students to learn more about volunteer organizations through representatives that will be on hand to answer questions.

“The game will be used as a springboard to encourage at least 50 students to commit individually to volunteer 50 hours over the next calendar year for identified local organizations and charities in need of assistance due to economic downsizing,” said Mays.

Organizations present will include the American Red Cross, Children’s Home and Aid, and the Madison County Urban League among others.

Bobby Collins will deliver a keynote address, and the NAACP will distribute school supplies to help students succeed in the second half of the school year.

“I believe the MLK event has brought many different people together that normally would not have met or worked in a cohesive manner to accomplish the festivities,” said Alton Mayor Tom Hoechst. “We are all working and striving for the same goals of promoting volunteerism in the community.

“These goals are not specifically related to any one neighborhood or race but rather the community in general, bringing us together to just have fun, promote harmony and better our neighborhoods,” he said.

The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Kathie Bassett, The Telegraph

Missy Churchman of the United Way writes,

“The beginning of every year is a chance to reflect back on the previous year and to look forward to the opportunities the coming year will bring.  When doing that with volunteering in mind, 2009 was a remarkable year.  Greg Mortenson came to town and we launched the Three Cups of Caring Campaign.  From that initiative came the Alton Caring Corps.

“The Alton Caring Corps was formed to promote volunteerism in the Alton area and has already conducted two successful events.  The two successful events include the canned good collection for Alton Marketplace’s Annual Tree Lighting and Can Castle.

Students from East Elementary in Alton caroling at

Alton Memorial Hospital

“The second was our Holiday Happiness initiative in which local groups and volunteers went Christmas Caroling at the local nursing homes and hospitals.

“The next project for the Alton Caring Corps is a basketball game on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  The basketball game will feature local high school students competing against representatives from the Alton Police and Fire Departments.  The students will be encouraged to volunteer at several local agencies.  The day of the event there will be local agencies present to encourage volunteerism and to provide opportunities for youth and adults to volunteer.

“After the basketball game, we will turn our attention to spring and summer projects.  These projects are yet to be determined but we are considering a clean up day or possibly community gardens.  Regardless of what we determine for our next project, 2010 is off to a great start and the Alton Caring Corps is looking forward to inspiring more people to get involved and to give back to their community.”

Alton Mayor Tom Hoechst, the Caring Corps, individuals, and families have taken the lessons learned from Greg Mortenson’s book. “Three Cups of Caring,” truly to heart and have freely given of their time to support volunteerism within the community.

As head of the Alton Caring Corps, Mayor Hoechst in conjunction with Missy Churchman of the United Way helped organize carolers of all ages to visit seven area nursing homes as well as the two area hospitals.

With the steadfast belief that individuals can make a difference, the mayor has set an example for others to follow.

Working with area agencies, organizations, and churches, the mayor has generously donated his time to support the volunteers. He personally drove a bus carrying 15 fifth-grade students from East Elementary School to sing at Alton Memorial Hospital.

Fifth-graders from East Elementary School sing at Alton Memorial Hospital.

“The kids did an EXCELLENT JOB and I was truly impressed,” said Hoechst. “We had a good time and the people at the hospital loved it. The parents and teachers should be very proud of themselves and the kids for their efforts, and I would like to do it again next year.”

More than 50 people participated in the caroling event including well-know gospel singer Phyllis Banks.

Rehearsal at Deliverance Temple led by Bryon Henderson.

“She was gung ho about caroling from the very beginning,” said Curtis Collins, a deacon and youth leader at Deliverance Temple and the church’s representative on the Alton Caring Corps. “She was awesome.”

In appreciation for their dedication to helping others, the students have been given tickets to the SIUE vs. Murray State basketball game on Dec. 30.

“The mayor will recognize the kids at the game,” said Collins. “I think it’s really, really good that he’s able to go from City Hall to doing something as nice as caroling. He gives as much attention and diligence to volunteering as he does to politics — that’s really cool.”

Upcoming plans include a Martin Luther King Jr. Day basketball event in January, as well as planting a community garden in the spring, along with a yet-to-be-scheduled citywide cleanup day.

The Caring Corps’ steering committee meets monthly at City Hall, and the meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

Related Story: Caring Corps encourages community spirit

Kathie Bassett, The Telegraph

Eric Dickerson’s fourth-grade class at Lewis and Clark Elementary School in Godfrey began collecting donations for Greg Mortenson’s “Pennies for Peace” Foundation before they even finished reading his book  — that is how moved they were by Mortenson’s personal journey and the stories of the children he has helped by building schools in remote Pakistan and Afghanistan.

For six weeks, these steadfast supporters asked relatives for donations, scoured their families’ homes for loose change, and contributed portions of their allowances.

On the Monday before Thanksgiving, Dickerson asked his class to guess how much they had raised.

Estimates ranged from $30 to $33,000.

“No matter how much or how little, you guys did an excellent job,” said Dickerson. “You guys raised 30,423 pennies — that’s a lot of pennies.”

Never missing the opportunity to challenge the kids, Dickerson asked them to translate the number of pennies into dollars — something they all did with great ease.

“That’s $304.23,” confirmed Dickerson.

The class had hoped to raise enough money to pay a teacher’s salary for one year.

“This $300 can pay for a teacher’s salary for half a year,” Dickerson continued. “I’m proud of you  — you set a goal and tried hard to do it.”

Domynik Mowrey, Daniel Allen, and their teacher, Eric Dickerson.

Two students, Daniel Allen and Domynik Mowrey, were asked to make the announcement to the rest of the school on the intercom from their principal’s office.

Both boys were proud and excited at their class’s achievement.

“Wow!” said Daniel. “This is just awesome!”

“We’re proud of this,” Domynik said with a smile.

The only person at the school more proud of these young philanthropists’ efforts than Dickerson is perhaps their principal, Patricia King.

“Greg Mortenson’s message got the students into the spirit of giving,” said King. “Mortenson really brought home the message of what we can do independently and collectively.”

With this project finished, the students are currently putting their energies into collecting for Community Christmas and placing items on the Giving Tree located near the school’s entrance.

“Giving to others is so positive,” King said. “These experiences will help them to have giving hearts.”

I feel lucky to have had the chance to get to know such dedicated and generous young people  — I applaud their sincere desire to do good in the world.

Kathie Bassett, The Telegraph

Sarah Woodman

Already involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Alton, Sarah Woodman would seem like an unlikely person to sign a Caring Contract, but that is exactly what she did.

Sara McGibany of Alton Marketplace writes,

“I have been inspired by Greg Mortenson’s message of peace and community involvement, and I am thrilled to be a part of Mayor Hoechst’s first call to action for the newly named ‘Alton Caring Corps.’ It speaks volumes that the City of Alton has initiated this platform for service organizations to reach potential supporters, and it warms my heart to know that our new administration will be working hard to promote volunteerism in our community.

“Alton Marketplace and the Junior League of Greater Alton have been organizing the ‘Castle of Cans’ food drive at the annual Tree Lighting at Lincoln-Douglas Square for two years, and we hope that having the support of the Alton Caring Corps will grow our efforts by leaps & bounds! We construct a giant castle out of the donated food items, which will be on display for the evening & then delivered to our local food pantries. We hope that you will help the less fortunate and provide our building blocks by bringing canned goods to the event on Friday, November 20^th at 6pm. You can also drop off your donations in advance in the lobbies of Alton City Hall, the Alton Police Department, or either of the Alton Fire Stations any time before 5pm on Tuesday, November 17th.

“I hope that you will join us for our community’s kickoff holiday event, which is always held on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive on the trolley at 6:00, and the free festivities including caroling, candy, cookies, hot cocoa and prize drawings for kids will continue until 6:45 when Mayor Hoechst flips the lights on our beautiful tree, which is provided by the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club.

“More fun activities will be going on in the 3^rd Street area following the tree lighting, and free trolley transportation has been arranged between 3^rd Street and the Square. From 7:00-9:00 you can meet a live reindeer, hear more holiday carols and see a performance by the A-Town Steppers. Please bring your cameras to capture free photos of your family with Santa and the live reindeer.

“The public is encouraged to make a night of it and enjoy the fun activities in the district while patronizing our downtown merchants for their holiday shopping and enjoying new and improved holiday decorations provided by Alton Marketplace and Downtown Alton Inc. Your downtown improvement organizations have put a lot of hard work into this event, and we hope to see you on the 20th for a wonderful evening of holiday cheer!”

Karen Grigg of Godfrey

Karen Grigg knew she wanted to volunteer but was unsure how until she learned of the United Way’s Caring Contracts.

“The idea that an ordinary person can make a difference is inspiring,” she said, referring to Mortenson’s example. “You can do a little and someone else can do a little, and pretty soon all the pieces add up to making a big difference.”

Karen signed a Caring Contract immediately following Mortenson’s lecture, enthusiastically committing herself to volunteering.

Karen works in customer service at American Water Co. and daily sees the impact of people’s actions on the lives of others.

Customers often share their personal financial situations with her, and she does her best to help them set up payment plans or refer them to an agency that might be able to help them.

Karen said she believes she is like many others who want to answer a call to community service but don’t know how to go about it.

“I’m pretty sure that I want to do something with women and children – the difficulty is that I work during the day,” she said. “I’m really interested in Big Sisters, but I’m not sure that I can put in enough hours with my schedule so that I’ll be happy with what I can do.”

Karen enjoys gardening in her free time. As a result of time constraints, Grigg is thinking about volunteering for Pride or the Sierra Club to utilize this passion.

“Alton is still a small town,” she said. “The community has lots of integrity and so much history.”

Kathie Bassett, The Telegraph