PTK Honor Club Has Record Books, Food Drive
(Press Release 05-15-09)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Members of Eastern’s honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, in conjunction with the PTK nationwide Project Graduation “Feed a Body, Feed a Mind,” have once again collected food and books to help alleviate hunger and illiteracy in communities across the nation.

Eastern’s PTK collected 1,069 books and 171 non-perishable food items in the annual drive held during the weeks leading up to the Wilburton college’s graduation (May 8).

“This is the largest number of books we've collected since we started the annual drive,” said Brenda Kennedy, PTK adviser.

“This year the children’s books will be designated to Edmond Doyle Elementary and Jeffereson Elementary schools in McAlester,” added Kennedy. “Teachers will determine which children are in need of books to have for summer-reading.”

“The food will be delivered to the Wilburton Senior Citizen’s food bank,” she said. “The food bank serves the surrounding counties.”

Over the years, Eastern’s Project Graduation has helped give books to children of Wilburton, Clayton, Nashoba, Tuskahoma, Albion, Panola, Fanshaw and Red Oak schools. In just the past few years, Eastern’s PTK chapter has gathered nearly 2,000 non-perishable food items and more than 2,200 children’s books. According to Kennedy, one of the main goals of the project is to provide books for underprivileged children at a different school each year.

For further information please contact Eastern PTK Advisor Brenda Kennedy at 918-465-1745, or email at bkennedy@eosc.edu.

Caption info:
Some of Phi Theta Kappas’s new officers helped to organize and distribute the collection of children’s books and non-perishable food items for this year’s Project Graduation. Pictured from front left: Heather Palovik, PTK member from Cushing; Nikki Miller, Student Senate Representative from Hugo; Landa McClure, Vice President of Service, Talihina; Kelbie Kennedy, Vice President of Leadership, Talihina; Randy Bean, President, Broken Bow; Macy Vansickle, Vice President of Fellowship, Bennington; Tansy Grimmett, Vice President of Scholarship, Sawyer; Kody Briggs, Secretary, Antlers and Angel Leopard, Student Senate Representative, Warner. The local PTK chapter collected 1,069 children’s books and 171 non-perishable food items. Books were given to children who show a need and do not have books in their homes for summer reading. Food items are being donated to Wilburton Senior Citizens food bank.