Charity Begins at Home for French Club Members

The French Club worked on a charity project to help a local family. What follows is the club's release about what they've done:

When the school year started, the French Club at JTHS discussed various charity projects. They decided to do something special for a family here in Jefferson.  They would fundraise the money needed to make this a wonderful holiday for a family in their own community. French Club members hosted a Café au Lait in early November, which featured singers, dancers, instrumentalists and comics. Members volunteered by performing or assisted in baking for the five-course dessert served with coffee, tea and hot chocolate.  All of the proceeds benefited this charity project.

The officers, Christian Tedford, Callie Wycha and Nicole Dillenkofer, shopped for the gifts at Toys R Us and members assisted in wrapping the gifts after school.

Since the project is completely anonymous, Mme Lori Castiglione-Cangelosi, French Club Adviser, coordinated with Elementary School Nurse Jennifer Walsh for family details and a wish list.  

"This project couldn't have been done without Jen Walsh.  She has been wonderful in helping us to accomplish our goal.  I have been truly blessed with such talented, thoughtful and generous French Club members since our debut in 2007 and I'm so proud of all of their hard work and dedication to our club.  I know we can continue to expect great things from them," Castiglione-Cangelosi said. 

The JTHS French Club came together unofficially in the Fall of 2007 with 22 members. Today, it is an official co-curricular club with 62 members and growing. They are currently preparing for Holiday Visits to district elementary schools, where they perform holiday carols in French and English, teach the children holiday and winter vocabulary in French and share culture.