Long-time Can-A-Thon

coordinator Tom Corker met students on the Court Square and surveyed the

tractor-trailer full of canned goods manned by East Coweta High's student

government officers. The ECHS Indians marching band trailer was stacked

to its roof with boxes.

Corker thanked

not only ECHS, but the whole school system.

"The school

system has supported the Can-A-Thon since day one, and they've always

supported it in a grand fashion," said Corker. "We often hear

bad things about kids, and we don't hear enough about things like this.

Coweta County school students support this effort every year, they do

it well, and they help their community in the process."

ECHS Student

body President Chris Herdener said that the school raised the record number

of items through competition between first block classes at the high school,

and because of strong teacher and parent support. Atlanta Falcons linebacker

and Food Bank spokesman Keith Brooking - an East Coweta alumni - also

held an autograph session Nov. 10 to help the school raise cans and funds

for this year's drive.

Every Coweta

County school - including the 100-student Maggie Brown Pre-Kindergarten

School - participated in this year's Can-A-Thon.

Schools raised

food for the needy each in different ways:

·The Central

Educational Center met its 5,000-can goal for its first year by setting

an irresistible incentive - teachers allowed students to paint their hair

any number of wild colors if the goal was reached.

"We weren't

really sure they could raise that many cans," said high school student

Director Janie Lore. But they did.

·Newnan

Crossing Elementary raised 7345 cans.

"We set

goals - six cans each, double goal, triple goal," said Principal

Terri Lassetter. "If the goal was doubled, the class receives an

ice cream party, and Triple Goal receives a pizza party."

·At Jefferson

Parkway, the winning class got a pizza party. The students competed against

staff members without a homeroom.

·Atkinson

raised 1066 cans. The class that brought the most cans received a free

ice cream for each student.

"Our can-a-thon

has been a big success this year," said Ruth Hill Principal Nancy

Royal. "We have collected 805 cans, and we have displayed a large

turkey graph in the front hall showing which grade level has contributed

the most cans. At this point the fifth grade has won the competition!

The Student Council members made signs that were displayed around the

building encouraging the students to contribute."

·Arbor

Springs raised over 2,200 food items. "We have really emphasized

doing good because that's the right thing to do," said Principal

Patricia Falk.

"Generosity'

was our 'Gator Word of the Week' last week, so the whole notion of Thanksgiving,

generosity, and giving to others has been our focus ... We read the count

each day, and encouraged our kids to do more because it's the right thing

to do."

Coweta County

School System Director George Justiss has helped county schools deliver

their Can-A-Thon donations for 14 years. He expects a few more muscle

aches Wednesday morning for moving 30,000 more cans this year than last

year.

"We filled

two trucks up Monday, and then five on Tuesday," he said.

Coweta County

Schools have a long tradition of service in the community Can-A-Thon.

Schools brought in 90,116 items in 2000, and 87,634 items in 1999.

(unloading)

Coweta County school system employees unload cans collected by county

elementary schools at the Food Pantry. County schools provided over 122,500

items toward this year's community Can-A-Thon.