WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
Mount Vernon, OH – The Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon, in collaboration with the Exchange Club of Mount Vernon/Knox County and Kenyon College, recently held a community-wide Pillow Drive to support students in need at East Knox Local Schools. Over 60 pillows, pillow cases, and throw blankets were collected and donated to help students in need.
The idea for the drive stemmed from a conversation between Lisa Lloyd, Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon, and Katlyn Kilgore, Social Worker at East Knox Elementary School. While discussing the diverse needs of East Knox families, Kilgore mentioned that pillows were a specific need that had been difficult to address. Within days, the Kiwanis Club, Exchange Club, and Kenyon College had come together to organize a community effort to meet this need.
The first half of the donated items were delivered to East Knox Local Schools on February 25, with plans to replenish the supply as soon as they are needed. The donations will be distributed by school staff to families who may not otherwise have access to these essential items.
“We are so thankful for the donation of these pillows,” said Kilgore. “This has been a unique need for our families that we have not been able to provide until now. Our East Knox families are very excited to receive their pillows!”
The success of this drive highlights the power of community collaboration. “It was exciting to see three different entities come together to support a need in our community,” said Lloyd. “This all started with a simple conversation, and in just a few days, we had multiple organizations rallying to make a difference. We hope this is just the beginning of future collaborations to serve our community in new and meaningful ways.”
Shawna Bock, Exchange Club President Elect echoed this sentiment, saying, “As a member of Exchange Club, I believe I speak for the entire club when saying how wonderful it is to live in a community where we can collaborate with other organizations to serve those in need. I look forward to working together in the future to serve those in Knox County.”
