Winona Lake Parks and Recreation Department hosted its second annual domino cereal run on Monday, March 25, in which boxes of cereal were collected and knocked over like dominoes before being donated to Combined Community Services. The run this year was at Lakeland Christian Acdemy’s upper and lower grade campuses. At each campus, the student who brought in the most cereal got to knock over the first box. Fifth grader Lottie Palmer had that honor at the upper grade campus. From left are LCA School Resource Officer Phil Hawks, the LCA cougar, CCS’ Executive Director Randy Polston, Palmer’s mother Katie Palmer, Palmer, Palmer’s father Robyn Palmer, LCA upper grade Principal Brenn Dahms, Parks’ Director Holly Hummitch and Winona Lake Police Chief Joe Hawn.

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By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — Combined Community Services now has more than 1,500 boxes of cereal.

That’s due to the community, Lakeland Christian Academy and the Winona Lake Parks and Recreation Department collecting them through the parks’ department’s second annual domino cereal run.

The boxes were knocked over in two events on Monday, March 25, at LCA’s lower grade and upper grade campuses in Warsaw and Winona Lake respectively.

Around a third of the cereal, or 500 boxes, was brought in by fifth grader Lottie Palmer. Having collected the most at Lakeland’s upper grade campus, she got to knock over the first box of cereal there to start the run.

“I have always felt bad for people who are less fortunate, and I just want to do all that I can to help because Jesus did so much for us,” said Palmer. “I’m just so happy that I can donate so much to people who don’t have as much.”

With there being a tie at the lower grade campus for the most boxes collected, two students, kindergartner Izzy Bucher and second grader Zaylee Whetstone, toppled the first box.

Their combined efforts brought in 100 boxes of cereal for CCS.

Parks’ Director Holly Hummitch was again the mastermind behind the run, following last year’s at Jefferson Elementary School in Winona Lake, though this year’s run brought in twice as many boxes of cereal.

“It’s just my goal … to form partnerships with all the local schools while giving back at the same time,” said Hummitch. “My goal is to eventually do all the schools in the community, so that’s why we partnered with Lakeland this year.”

“(Winona Lake Police) Chief (Joe Hawn), I actually brought it up to him one day, he called right away and we set it up, reached out to (CCS’ Executive Director) Randy (Polston), and it was a go,” she said.

Hummitch was assisted by family and Winona Lake Town Council member Ashley McGinnis in setting up the boxes Monday.

Lakeland staff cited the event allowed their students to give back.

“We are actually just really thankful for the opportunity for our kids to be able to serve our community in this way,” said lower grade Principal Amy Rosswurm.

“I’m blown away by the generosity of the school and the community and how we can give back to Combined Community Services, and I’m so proud of our students and for what they donated and I’m just proud to be a (LCA) Cougar today,” said upper grade Principal Brenn Dahms.

“I think it’s important for us to be involved in the community and involved in helping others, and I think this is a great opportunity being able to show our solidarity with the community and other schools,” said LCA Superintendent Joe Elrod.

Polston said the donation was much appreciated.

“The food insecurity in this community is unbelievable,” he said. “We have so many people that need these types of resources. A couple of weeks ago, we had two out of our three days over 100 families that came in for food. The economy and inflation, everything’s hitting families; it’s so hard to go to the grocery stores and pay the prices in there.”

He thanked both those who brought in cereal as well as Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital staff and contractors for giving more than 1,700 jars of peanut butter and many cases of jelly, with CCS also getting the latter donations Monday.

“It couldn’t come at a better time,” said Polston. “I was walking through our food pantry last week, and we had empty shelves … Spring break is right around the corner, and so kids are going to be home and Moms and Dads are going to be saying,’What am I going to do to feed them throughout the day?'”