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Group gives kids special birthday
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Amanda Hirsch, chapter leader of the Monroe Box of Balloons organization, drops off a box full of birthday party goodies to Parkside Elementary School recently. Each box is personalized for a child whose parents are unable to pay for a birthday party. To order this photo, click here. (Times photo: Marissa Weiher)
MONROE - Birthdays are a cause for celebration at any age, but they are an especially important milestone for a young person gathering with friends and enjoying sweets under a colorful banner of favorite characters. However, for some children, this party is more of a dream than a reality. According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, more than 40 percent of all students enrolled in the Monroe school district were below the poverty line last year.