On Aug. 25, the Elite Frogs parachute display team, comprised of U.S. Navy SEALs, parachuted over Lake Wawasee in Syracuse. On that day, Ron Baumgartner, president of The Papers Inc. and StaceyPageOnline.com, did a tandem skydive with the team, which was part of a fundraising event for the Wawasee Navy SEAL Foundation Inc.

On Saturday, Oct. 27, it will be my turn to take part in a tandem skydiving event to raise money for charity: the Combined Community Services Food Pantry. It’s also an opportunity for anyone else to join me either watching on the ground, or taking part in the actual jump!

As I watched Ron’s video, I noticed the look of terror on his face and still question my own sanity for agreeing to this outrageous stunt. Keeping that in mind, I’m asking for your generosity in contributing to this event by donating a few dollars for the cause. I mean, really, I’m doing the hard part!

The CCS Food Pantry feeds 560 families a month – equating to about 1,960 individuals. These are people who are down on their luck and struggling in this economy. Minimum wage jobs make it extremely difficult for single parents to fill their gas tanks, pay their housing costs and put food on their tables. This is where your donations make the difference.

By donating money to the CCS Food Pantry, you make it possible for the organization to purchase adequate foods to help the less fortunate. Please help me help our friends and neighbors as we begin to move into the holiday season when additional financial stresses will be put on those already struggling.

Please click on our DONATE link, which will deposit your donation directly to CCS so it can begin restocking its nearly depleted food pantry.

Also, join us Oct. 27 at the Goshen Airport at 9 a.m. to enjoy a chili cook off and other foods as Skydive Great Lakes helps us with this charitable event. The cost for a tandem jump that day – for those electing to jump as part of the SPO charity – is just $185 and $20 of that fee will be donated back to CCS.

Skydive Great Lakes makes the jump exciting for everyone by providing a live feed from those skydiving to those watching from the ground. It’s going to be a fun event and you’re all invited!

For a limited time, you can even get a StaceyPageOnline.com limited edition keychain with your minimum $10 donation. Either drop off your donation at the Warsaw office of The Papers Inc., 214 W. Market St., or make your donation online, print out the receipt and bring it to the Warsaw office and we’ll give you a keychain as our way of saying “thank you.”