Fundraiser teaches all the right things

AMENIA — For the last six years, a familiar procession of school buses, vans and a yellow truck with dual American flags whipping in the wind has made its way through towns and villages in the area. That caravan is part of the Maplebrook School’s CAPS program, whose students have gone door to door each year to raise funds for the local Sunday in the Country Food Drive. Last Saturday, Nov. 7, was no exception.

The Maplebrook School is a coeducational boarding and day school for students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder. Its CAPS (Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Studies) program helps students strengthen independent living skills in preparation for life after school is completed.

Colleen McGhee, a teacher at the school, explained that she was approached by Dave MacMillan and his wife, Christine, founders of the food drive, as a way to integrate students into the community as well as to raise funds for a cause that feeds hundreds of local families in need during the holidays. (For more on the Sunday in the Country Food Drive, see the story on this page about the dinner dance).

"We’re hoping that when they leave the CAPS program, they’ll understand how important volunteerism is," McGhee explained. Last Saturday the students went to more than 30 businesses and private houses, and since school has started this year, the students have been holding dress down days that have raised an additional $431.50 for the food drive.

"They go out as a group and learn the procedure," McGhee said. "Hopefully then when they go home they’ll have the tools to help out with their local food pantries and community service events. It’s a win-win for the food drive and for the students."

The event raised $5,000, which, like most fundraisers, is down from last year but is still a substantial amount for the food drive.

"For us, it’s a win because they collected five grand," MacMillan said. "For [the students], there were people who turned them down and there were people who wrote $1,000 checks, so they learned that fundraising can run the gamut. It’s a very inspiring day. Even though they get turned down they don’t get disappointed."

CAPS also assists the Adopt-a-Family initiative spearheaded by Stacey Moore, which provides toys and clothing for families in need during the holidays.

As an added bonus this year, MacMillan presented two plaques to groups that have showed an interest above and beyond merely helping the food drive’s cause. The CAPS program and Dave and Mary Underhill, the owners of Dave’s TV in Millerton, both received the plaques, which have been given out in past years to American Legion Post 178, the Ancram Fire Department and Stacey Moore.

The Underhills have assisted with the food drive effort since it first started 17 years ago, MacMillan said. Dave’s TV was the first business to send an annual donation check to Sunday in the Country.

"They’re always there for us and they try to work with us with any kind of event we have going on," MacMillan said. "I can’t say enough about that business."

"The plaque was a very nice idea," Mary Underhill said. She said the Underhills have known MacMillan for a long time, and helping out in any way they can is just the right thing to do.

"Everybody needs help sometimes," she said.