It’s the gift that just keeps on giving…
When Central Lutheran School became one of 10 schools across the nation to win $100,000 in US Cellular’s Calling All Communities Contest, it was nothing short of a miracle. The tiny school of 158 students was up against public and parochial schools from coast to coast, vying for a piece of a $1,000,000 pie. The 10 schools with the most votes at the end of the two-month voting period would each receive $100,000.
In early February, US Cellular contacted Principal Jan Doellinger to inform her of the good news, however she was sworn to secrecy until the big day arrived. On February 17, just shortly after a Doug Larson concert ended in the gym, Doellinger took to the stage and thanked Larson for coming to Central. She paused, pulled her cell phone from her pocket and pretended to take a phone call on “my US Cellular phone.” At that point, several adults in the audience caught onto the reference, “Yes, this is Mrs. Doellinger. He is? Well, by all means, send him in…Ladies and gentlemen, Governor Chet Culver is standing in our kitchen and would like to come in to make an announcement.”
Culver then took the stage and made the announcement followed by 75 US Cellular representatives who then stormed the gym tossing out T-shirts and setting off confetti guns. US Cellular CEO John Rooney was also on hand to personally present the oversized check.
After the confetti settled, it was time to decide what to do with the money. Doellinger met with area pastors who suggested tithing the gift. Doellinger and the staff unanimously agreed that the students would benefit from this “teachable moment” to see a tithe in action. As for the other $90,000, the timing couldn’t have been better. In November CLS began a fundraising campaign to build a sorely needed new gymnasium. The Board of Education voted that the remainder of the money should go to the building project.
Here is how the students directed their gifts:
Preschool: $500 Lutheran Bible Translators
$500 LCMS World Mission
Kindergarten: $400 Kids Against Hunger
$600 Atkins Helping Hands Food Pantry
First Grade: $500 Lutheran Bible Translators
$500 LCMS World Mission
Second Grade: $1000 LCMS World Mission
Third Grade: $500 Camp Courageous
$500 Earthquake relief in Chili
Fourth Grade: $250 Good Shepherd Lutheran School
$250 AriSon Records
$500 LCMS World Mission
Fifth Grade: $100 Kids Against Hunger
$900 Lutheran Bible Translators
Sixth Grade: $500 LCMS World Mission
$500 Kids Against Hunger
Seventh Grade: $1,000 LCMS World Mission
Eighth Grade: $500 Juvenile Diabetes Research
$500 LCMS World Mission
The third grade donations to Camp Courageous and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation were prompted by personal connections the students have with the organizations. One student’s brother attends Camp Courageous and an eighth grade student has struggled with diabetes for several years.
The school credits its supporting congregations, St. Stephens/Atkins; St John’s Newhall and St. John’s Keystone, as well as all of the other Benton County Lutheran churches for their success in the contest. IDE
