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Four Warsaw elementary schools came together Friday night at Lakeview Middle School in a dodgeball competition to collect food for Combined Community Services.

The Food-a-Thon Dodgeball Event for CCS required at least two cans of food for admission into the games. All food is being used to stock the CCS Food Pantry, which is now serving more than 600 Kosciusko County families each month.

Participating schools this year were Harrison, Lincoln, Leesburg and Jefferson elementaries.  Jefferson Elementary won the championship and bragging rights.

CCS Executive Director Steve Possell said this year’s dodgeball event, coupled with Food-A-Thon event hosted by the local radio stations, combined for a record breaking year of donations. “I’m not exactly sure how much food we took in today, but I can tell you money wise we’re going to do better than we did last year, and we’re probably getting more food, too.”

Possell said CCS welcomed some large donations from area farms including the Anglins and Clunette Elevator, Bishop Farms and Mike Long. Those donations totaled estimated $15,000 and were kicked off by a $25,000 donation from The Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation.

CCS has also begun accepting adoptees for the annual Adopt-a-Family Christmas program. If all of the initial families who applied for the program are adopted out, CCS will open the program for new enrollees after Thanksgiving. The program is now in its 16th year of assisting county families who, without the help of local businesses, individuals and corporations would not otherwise have a Christmas.

Last year 500 families were helped through Adopt-a-Family.

Those wanting to adopt a family or multiple families can call CCS at 574-269-6019 Ext. 222, or go into the office at 1195 Mariners Dr., Warsaw. Information may also be obtained by emailing Lisenbee-Wright at[email protected], or CCS community liaison Jill Greenwood at[email protected].