Drives For Salvation Army Successful

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

R.A.I.S.E volunteers present donated school supplies to the Salvation Army of Mesquite to be distributed to local kids in need. Pictured l to r are Sandra Ramaker, Wes Boger, Carly Toutant, Sharron Banck, Sheila Gustaveson and Bill Ennis. PHOTO BY BOBBIE GREEN/The Progress.

Efforts have been fruitful for local volunteers in a two-fold drive to collect meat products and school supplies for local families in need.

The Mesquite non-profit, R.A.I.S.E. has been hard at work helping the local Salvation Army stock up on meat for its food pantry as well as backpacks and school supplies to prepare for the upcoming first day of school.

On Wednesday afternoon, July 21, R.A.I.S.E president Carly Toutant and a handful of volunteers went to the Salvation Army office in Mesquite to present donations they had received in this drive to a grateful Bill Ennis, Director of the Salvation Army, and his assistant Jessica Powell.

Toutant gave Ennis 112 pounds of meat for the Salvation Army Pantry freezer all of which had been donated by local people. They also presented Ennis with $340.25 in cash donations collected while manning tables in front of Walmart and Smith Food stores in Mesquite in recent weeks.

The second part of presentation was of school supplies and back packs donated for local families. Ennis reported approximately $600 in supplies were received so far.

“I don’t have words to express my thanks to Carly and the R.A.I.S.E. volunteers for their help and generosity,” Ennis said.

Bill Ennis, Shiela Gustaveson and Sanda Ramaker fill up the Salvation Army Food Pantry freezer with donated meat last week at the end of a successful Meat for Mesquite drive by R.A.I.S.E. PHOTO BY BOBBIE GREEN/The Progress.

Powell was so happy to receive these donations she was in tears. “You guys did such an amazing job,” she said. “You really came through for the kids. Every child that signed up with us, we have a backpack for them.”

Also in attendance for the presentation was City Councilwoman Sandra Ramaker, R.A.I.S.E. secretary Sheila Gustaveson, City Councilman Wes Boger and Sharon Banck

Toutant said that she loves to coordinate these efforts to help fill community needs.
“I was born to do fundraising,” Toutant said. “I started carrying the firefighters boot around door to door when I was six years old. My whole family were firefighters. They were involved with other charity organizations and so I was, too. I have helped many non-profits, I have lots of experience, and I love to do it.”

The R.A.I.S.E program is not to be confused with the month-long National School Supply Drive which has partnered with the City of Mesquite to provide school supplies to needy local kids. Drop off places for that drive include the Mesquite Library, Mesquite City Hall, and the Mesquite Recreation Center. Donations to that effort may be made until Saturday, July 31. Those Supplies go directly to the local schools to help kids in need.

The next project for the Salvation Army will be “Fill the Bus” with classroom supplies for the teachers. This effort will run from August 6-8.