MONROE — The Monroe-New Glarus swim team presented Monroe School District Nurse Dana Kundert with blankets for the district’s health offices on Tuesday, Oct. 25. 

“We were looking for ways for the team to give back to the community and get involved,” freshman Megan Chapman said. “We reached out to the schools to see what they needed.” 

The blankets will be used throughout the district to keep kids warm in the nurses’ office when they are feeling unwell. 

“When a kid comes in sick and they are waiting for their parents to come in, sometimes they have fevers and get chills,” Kundert said. “It helps keep them warm before their parents come. We currently don’t have anything in the buildings, so it’s nice to have something new. It’s nice that someone in the schools — the swim team — could make them.” 

While the blankets were a welcome addition to the school health offices, Kundert said the district is also in need of clothing. 

“Something we are always looking for is clothes, pants, underwear and socks,” Kundert said. “We are pretty good on winter items. We also coordinate the backpack buddy program, so people can donate to kids in that program as well.” 

The swim team received $250 for materials from a Thrivent Financial Action Team. The goal of these teams is to financially assist individuals in their community projects. In four easy steps — apply for assistance, receive kit, take action, share results — an idea can come to fruition. 

For more information or to plan a project, visit www.thrivent.com/about-us/

membership/thrivent-action-teams. 

The Backpack Buddies Program works to support families that do not have enough food to adequately support all members of the family. The program regularly delivers a pack of food to supplement the food source within the home. This service is provided to the most vulnerable and at-risk local families and is completely funded with community donations. 

If interested in participating in the Backpack Buddies program, contact the local School Counselor or Health Aide 

To help support the Backpack Buddies program, the district is currently accepting monetary donations only.  Checks can be made out to the School District of Monroe with “Backpack Buddies” on the memo line and mailed to: School District of Monroe District Administrative Office, 925 16th Ave. Suite 3, Monroe, WI 53566.