In tough economic times, nonprofit organizations and charities become more dependent on the generosity of volunteers who donate their time, labor or funds. This summer, one St. Louis-based nonprofit will be able to check an item off its wish list thanks to the efforts of an Affton teen. Luke Panchot, 17, has raised $850 for materials to build a lean-to shelter for horses belonging to Ride On St. Louis. Established in 1998, the organization provides therapy through horseback riding for the developmentally and physically disabled, as well as disadvantaged youth. A member of Boy Scout Troop 586 …

As most adults may remember, being a teenager can be tough, but the St. Louis chapter of Girls on the Run is working to train girls in their teens to endure some of life's greatest challenges. The nonprofit organization combines training for a 5K race with education on the most pressing issues facing teenage girls, such as learning self-confidence and self-respect, dealing with gossip and bullies, and developing healthy eating habits. "Our mission is to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living," Girls on the Run Program Director Katie Helbig said. It's a …

Protecting Missouri's land and water resources has been a mission of the Open Space Council (OSC), a nonprofit based at the outskirts of Shrewsbury, for more than 40 years. The group's most impressive effort is Operation Clean Stream, one of America's longest and largest ongoing river restoration projects, OSC Executive Director Ron Coleman said. Started in 1967, Operation Clean Stream and its thousands of volunteers helped revive the Meramec River, which at that time was considered one of the most degraded streams in the country. Every fourth week in August, Operation Clean Stream brings out…

Often, the "protect" portion of the police motto "protect and serve" is what earns the most attention. However, Shrewsbury Police Department officer Tommy Fultz proved that the second half can be just as important. Fultz recently received an award from the Mental Health Association of America for assisting a fellow Iraq War veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Called the John J. McAtee Award, it was presented to Fultz and more than 20 other officers May 18 during the 25th annual Mental Health of Eastern Missouri Police Recognition Luncheon. Fultz joined the Shrewsbury force …

The faculty and staff at the Lemay Child and Family Center believe that early childhood education is something that all families deserve access to. The nonprofit education center provides affordable prekindergarten classes amd programs to more than 100 children. "Our core purpose is making sure that every child, regardless of what their family background is, financial situation is, development level, that every child has access to high-quality early childhood education," Executive Director Elaine Powers said. A United Way organization, the center also receives funds from grants and other …

Twenty-six miles is a lot to run for anyone, but it can be an especially intimidating number for elementary school kids. Add in reading 26 books and doing 26 good deeds, and the Read, Right, Run program organized by Go! St. Louis is quite the challenge. Yet that's just what 30 students from Mesnier Elementary School did this year. Unlike adult marathoners, the Kindergarten-Second Grade students did not have to run the distance all at once, but instead had several months to complete the three goals. Mesnier Librarian Laverne Sebben and Physical Education Teacher Jeff Wulfert worked together to…

Although it’s easy to complain about incompetent bosses or annoying projects, having a job is one of the things that gives us identity and a place in society. We may yearn for the weekend, but it can only really be enjoyed after a week's worth of hard work. Helping others achieve satisfying employment is the mission of Alternative Opportunities Inc., a nonprofit organization with offices in Affton that provides employment services to people with disabilities, among other programs. Alternative Opportunities (AO) is in the process of completing a merger with Shrewsbury-based organization Jobs …

Students at Bayless High School are turning tragedy into opportunity with an assembly planned for this spring to talk about the dangers of texting while driving. The students of teacher Melinda Brown’s family and consumer sciences class were inspired to hold the assembly after Brown showed them an episode of ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover that featured the parents of a teenage girl who had been killed in a single-vehicle crash. That girl, Alex Brown (no relation to Melinda Brown), had been driving to her high school in northern Texas one morning in November 2009 when a momentary distraction …

When it comes to community service and volunteerism, the attitude of the leaders and congregation of St. Mark Catholic Church is best summed up by the motto of its school: “Enter to learn and go forth to serve.” The church’s pastor, Patrick Hambrough, said generosity and giving are important parts of the Christian life. They are ideas that can serve as a “jumping off” point for prayer, he explained. “The first thing we think about when we pray is how much God has blessed us,” Hambrough said. “When you have so many blessings, we are taught to share them.” In this spirit,the churhc is involved …

With more than 600 people helped and only $500 of operating expenses in its four years of existence, local charity Sponsor A Family has proved doing a lot of good doesn’t take a lot of cash. Sponsor a Family (SAF) takes donations of clothes, appliances, toys, food and other household items and gives them to needy individuals and families in the St. Louis area. The group assists a wide range of people, from those who have become unexpectedly jobless, to families devastated by a fire or other natural disaster to the mentally disabled, elderly or others on fixed incomes. President and co-founder…

With childhood obesity a rising epidemic across the U.S., the members of the Affton School District’s Wellness Committee are dedicated to promoting healthy choices in the cafeteria and the classroom. The committee was created in 2006 when the Missouri legislature passed a law mandating that school boards have a policy that addresses wellnes, and it has had a growing positive impact since then. In addition to eliminating sodas and sugary snacks from vending machines at the high school, the committee has helped create programs at the district’s schools that encourage students to be more active…

For Kelly Kipper, a long-time volunteer with the Bayless School District, one of the most important aspects of donating her time and energy is what it can bring out in others. “If you are excited, you can create enthusiasm for other people,” she said. Kipper is the vice-president of the Bayless Educational Support Team (BEST), and along with four other officers and a small group of core members, she is hoping that a revamped BEST will be able to do just that. With a meeting set later this spring to draw up official by-laws and recruit new members, BEST doesn’t have an official mission …

Now in its 23rd year, the Affton Community Band has a long-standing tradition of bringing beautiful music to locals, and all free of charge. Performing two to four concerts from May to July, the band is made up of 55 volunteer musicians from the area. Along with the summer performances, the band also meets to practice Thursday evenings in the summer at Affton High School. With musicians ranging in age from their teens through their 80s, the band is an amalgamation of backgrounds, experience and personalities. Dave Eding, Affton resident and the band’s conductor for the past 15 years, said the…

The Affton School Mothers’ Club is definitely a win-win type of organization.  In addition to offering the camaraderie and fellowship that many clubs do, the ASMC also provides indelible support and assistance to the Affton School District.  The club, which has been in existence for over 50 years, acts as a support mechanism for the schools by providing much needed donations. According to ASMC President Sarah Hertel, ASMC raises funds and provides support for everything from playground equipment to pencil sharpeners.  Comprised of nearly 40 women, ASMC holds annual fundraisers, class parties…

For nearly three decades, Affton residents have likely noticed the small yellow school bus going in and out of St. Dominic Savio Catholic Church’s parking lot. Adorned with a Bible verse from the gospel of Matthew that states, “When I was hungry, you gave me to eat.” The Yellow Food Bus picks up donated food and drops it off to food pantries, schools and agencies that assist individuals in need.  “We are certainly the only people in St. Louis that offer this kind of service, and maybe the only people in the world!” said Jack Magee, one of the bus’ drivers for the last 20 years. A project of …

Volunteers are teaming up with students at Mesnier Primary School to promote reading in a relatively new program called Book Buddies. Community members visit the school’s library once a week and share their love of reading with kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade students who are enrolled in Mesnier’s before-school-care program. Volunteers are assigned one student each semester, and many of pairs have been together since the program began, which is now in its second year. “I love to read, and it’s wonderful to be in a program that promotes reading like Book Buddies,” said Carol Buck, a…

Situated on the southern edge of Green Park, Sunnyhill, Inc. is a unique non-profit organization that specializes in providing residential, recreational and educational services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Serving individuals in their teens through their 60’s, Sunnyhill's services extend throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County and Jefferson County. In addition to the St. Louis office, Sunnyhill Campground has 60 sprawling acres of land located in Dittmer, Missouri, about an hour southwest of town. The camp provides services and recreation for groups of all …

Volunteerism, service projects and giving are alive and well at Affton Christian Church (ACC). Whether it’s a holiday dinner or hospital visit, the staff and members of the church embrace community outreach and pour their support into serving people in the Affton region and others across St. Louis. “Outreach happens everyday,” Senior Minister David Woodard said. Charlie and Nita Heinzman are just two of the numerous church members that are active in Affton Christian Church’s outreach ministry. “They really have been mainstays in our church’s outreach efforts,” Woodard said.  Along with their …

“Jeans just make you feel good!” No, this is not the new motto for the Gap’s denim department or a ploy to make you slip into a lush pair of Calvin Klein’s. It is how Bayless High School senior Kelsey Dean describes her high school’s latest service project, the Teens For Jeans program. Dean and nine other members of the BHS Student Council Community Service Committee kicked off their Teens For Jeans clothing drive on Jan. 17. The drive will be collecting jeans for the less fortunate until Feb. 13. The idea to get involved with Teens For Jeans was spearheaded by Dean’s fellow Student Council …

The life of a mother with young children can be sheer craziness. The doctor’s appointments, 3 a.m. feedings, teething and mounds of diapers and spit-up towels are just the tip of the iceberg.  Although nothing even compares to the joy of having a child, 99.9 percent of mothers would say it’s nice to have a reprieve once in a while.  Enter the Mothers of Preschoolers program, or MOPS, as it’s fondly known.  There are MOPS chapters all over the country, and one right here in Affton that meets at the Salem Lutheran School at Gravois and Lakewood Ave. This local MOPS group meets on the first and …