By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The Niles High School German Club is at it again.
Saturday, March 18 marked the third year in a row German teacher Cori Herrman and her students delivered food to the Hope Rescue Mission in South Bend, Ind.
Herrman said around 20 Niles families with children taking German classes at the high school were each asked to cook a meal large enough for an entire family. Herrman and nine of the students then delivered the food to the mission and served 97 people a full meal.
There was even enough left over for everyone to eat lunch again the next day, Herrman said.
Among the smorgasbord were casseroles, lasagna, spaghetti and beef stroganoff. Plus, Herrman said one student even purchased $90 worth of chicken for the meals. To help celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Herrman also said she prepared corn beef and cabbage.
The day was quite a learning experience for the students, Herrman said.
The entire process of loading the food, serving, cleaning up and traveling back and forth took about three hours, Herrman said.
Herrman said the German club is active in community service projects every year.
Following Sept. 11, Herrman said the club sent donations of nearly $2,300 to three families in New York City that had lost a husband and father in the aftermath of the attacks.
All of the men were firefighters and had children. Herrman said one particular family was given a larger share of the cash because she had eight kids and was fighting cancer.
Herrman said the club has raised and donated around $9,000 in the last eight years. The funds generally go to the mission in South Bend and the Relay for Life.
The club generates the money through fundraisers like candy sales and car washes, as well as going door to door asking for donations, Herrman said.
Volunteer work will continue for the club next week when students clean up trash in downtown Niles.