SCHOOL REWARDS PROGRAM FROM PUBLIX

Of course we want to shop local since part of the sales tax goes to the town of Elkmont and we love our hometown businesses.  We have Dollar General and Piggly Wiggly within a mile of downtown Elkmont.  However, sometimes you can't find what you want or you love using coupons and buy one, get one free (BOGO) deals.  Publix not only has this but also has a school rewards program that supports Elkmont High School.

How to participate in the Publix Partner Program:
There are small swipe cards for each school. Ask for yours at the customer service desk.  

Details of program: Please support our school through the Publix Partners Program. Present a Publix Partners card from EHS to your cashier whenever you make a purchase at Publix. (Be sure to show the card before the sale is totaled.)  At the end of each quarter, Publix will award our school with $250 for every $37, 500 spent.

This is also a great way to participate in the Full Tummy Program.  Use those coupons to buy supplies to help the little ones in need who live in the Elkmont School District.

LOOK AND SEE THE GOOD YOU HAVE DONE

We asked, and you delivered…in a BIG way! And that’s putting it mildly. When we started this drive for the homeless veterans, we knew you all would respond, however, we never expected such a huge response. You all reached down deep and delivered in a mighty way!

Larry announced on November 2nd, we’d start accepting your donations. Today, December 21st, your donations are on the way to help feed and clothe the homeless. 

This morning, Richard Waltman, arrived at Larry’s house in his SUV hauling a 6’x 12’ trailer. Richard, Larry and Brad loaded it down, and left there for a second destination where there were more donations. One more stop to make (yes there were 3 different places full of donated items), and he would be on his way. There were so many bags, boxes and bins, when Richard arrived at the third place, he took one look, and said, “Oh, no, I’ve got to come back for a second trip”. His SUV and the trailer was so loaded down, he couldn’t fit anything else in it, so he took those, and came back for the second haul.

We received coats, clothes, undergarments, food, toiletries, hand made scarves, toboggans, gloves, rain gear, shoes…you name it, you gave it. We also received approximately 250 handmade cards of encouragement from area schools, churches and the community.

All of the donations that you kindly gave from your hearts, are going to help over 200 men, women and children. Wow, over 200 people! WHAT A BLESSING YOU ALL ARE!

Of those over 200 people that you have helped, the donations are being distributed to five different ministries. 

You are helping: Richard Waltman's Homeless Ministry, Rusty Loiselles Homeless Veterans Ministry, Team Hope, Lunches of Love (they provide 58 lunches every week for elementary schools), and Rose of Sharon Soup Kitchen.

The Coupon Patrol would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank so many people who helped with this drive. There’s no way we could name each person without leaving someone out, so we won’t even try, but please know each gift of love that you sent was very much appreciated, and none went unnoticed.

We want to thank God, first and foremost, for allowing us the opportunity to help others. We want to thank each and every one of you for all the prayers that were prayed during this time. 

Thank you to all of the area businesses that participated. To our community and our TCP members that joined in to help, we say a huge thank you. We also want to thank Hill Spirit for helping to get the word out for us. And a big, big thank you to Jim and Donna Kay Seales from Three Wheel Drive, for everything they did, and who is always there when we ask for anything.

Here’s a few pictures, but they do not do justice at all! Again, we thank you all from the bottoms of our hearts! May God bless you all, and we wish you a Bright and Merry Christmas!!

TCP Staff

WHO IS THE COUPON PATROL HELPING THIS MONTH?

The Elkmont based, The  Coupon Patrol (TCP)  isn't just about helping you save money.  It also reaches out and helps those in need in the community.  They have chosen to share the Lord's blessings with the Athens Limestone Counseling Center (Mental Health Center) this month

We will be working directly with Patrol member and case worker, Jessica Walker Young.  Jessica has 13 clients that she visits with to do hands-on counseling; she also leads a group of 30 others.  All are on disability and most receive less than $800.00 per month. Take away rent, lights, and medicine that doesn't leave much for food.

One of her clients receives 20.00 per month in food stamps.  Some of them go to the food bank, but there is a limit on how much they are allowed. They do not have dental or eye care coverage, and Jessica has been seeking donations to help them with food, cleaning supplies, and health & beauty aids.

We will begin collecting March 2nd and collect till the 31st. We will deliver that same week to Jessica and she will handle delivering to her needy clients.  Jessica said any and everything that our TCP family can donate will be a blessing to her clients, gently used clothing, blankets. space heaters, pet food. health and beauty, cleaning supplies and food.

We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and any donations you can give.  We welcome any of our members that want to go with us to drop off the donations, just let us know.  If you are new to TCP and want to donate, please take a marker and draw a line through the bar codes on your donations. Also any clothes need to be gently used, with no repairs needing to be made. All donations can be dropped off with Phebe A Durant at Don Carter Heating and Cooling on 72 and Mandy Hemmen at Springleaf Financial next to Spry on 72, or message Larry Pierce to drop off at Elkmont. He will either meet you at Piggly Wiggly or his house....thanks!!!!

If you aren't a member and would like to join The Coupon Patrol, follow this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/500119146721802/

FULL TUMMY AND THE COUPON PATROL

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

The Elkmont based Coupon Patrol (TCP) and its members select service projects throughout the year to give back to the community. Their service project for January was to support the Full Tummy program which illustrated how small things do accomplish amazing things.  They used their coupons, shopped the sales and collected items to fill those little weekend brown bags for our children in need.

The TCP donations to The Full Tummy Project were delivered to our Elkmont churches who sorted, bagged and delivered them to school. These bags of love were given to 52 children. We all thank you and ask the Lord's blessing upon you for whatever part you took in this donation, always remember your thoughts and prayers are as much appreciated as the physical items that were donated!!

Dear Coupon Patrol Family,
Thank you so much for your generous donation to the Full Tummy Project. As you know, we minister to approximately 52 students each week. These children are our future. Teachers have informed us that the students who receive the bags have shown a huge improvement in their school work. Please know how much you've helped them and how appreciative we are of your kindness.
Sincerely,
Elkmont United Methodist, New Bethel Baptist, & Friendship North Church.

The leaders of the group, Mandy Hemmen, Alison Mendoza, Maria Burkhead, Phebe Durant, Debbie Pierce, Brad Pierce and, the Administrator of the TCP, Larry Pierce, teach their members, known as "Our Family" how to save money by using coupons, and how to use the skills taught to give back to the less fortunate in our area.

This "Family" has donated each and every month to an organization or family in need since February of 2013. In December, four car loads and two truck loads of donations were delivered to the Homeless Vets and Citizens in Huntsville. In the past CASA and Hospice have received donations.  Larry Pierce, TCP organizer, said, " Our leaders or myself could not do this on our own, our members are amazing, with loving and caring hearts, all the credit goes to them."

If you would like to join this group, you can request to be added to the chat group. 
The link below is their public page where you can message or comment your request.
Link: The Coupon Patrol Group

Information about the Full Tummy Project:
Full Tummy, is not funded by the school system but by individuals throughout Limestone County. Those students who may not get meals over the weekend are sent home with a bag meal for when they are not at school. These students receive food assistance anonymously. The bags are fixed with specific items to meet specific needs.  New Bethel Baptist, North Campus Friendship Methodist and Elkmont Methodist Church participate in the "Full Tummy" program  and are excited about helping out.  

As they work to fill tummies and change the lives of our Elkmont students in need, we can help by stocking their church pantries.  This is a great community service project for those who are coupon experts. You can drop off your items at any of the above churches or the school office.