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Backpack program wins recognition
file photo
Greta Williams, who helped found the backpack food program at Mountain View Elementary School, will be recognized by the Governor in April.
After several months of spearheading the backpack program at Mountain View Elementary School, the program Greta Williams started in the district has branched out to two other schools.
“We have included Pioneer Elementary and Monument Elementary as well. Now there are a total of 55 families who are recipients of the program,” said Williams.
As she recalled, Williams said that when she was trying to come up with an idea to make a difference in her community, she came upon a similar program being used elsewhere.
She took the idea and ran with it. Now backpacks with much needed food staples are sent home with hungry students every Friday. Recently, at Pioneer, a letter was received from an anonymous parent, thanking the program for the support and helping them to feed their family.
Mountain View principal Kathie Brown nominated Williams for an award due to her contributions. Williams was notified that she had been nominated, but it came as a total shock to her when she received final confirmation of an actual award on March 18.
“It’s really nice. I am more excited about the recognition for the program. More people are also coming forward and helping. It’s amazing,” said Williams.
As a result, she is invited to attend the awards ceremony for the Washington Commission for National and Community Service in Olympia on April 11. It is there at the executive mansion that she will be given the award by Gov. Christine Gregoire. The award from the commission is for “effecting real change in her community through volunteer service.” The ceremony will be followed the next day with an invitation to “Salute to Volunteers Night” on April 12 at Safeco Field when the Seattle Mariners play the Toronto Blue Jays.
To help keep the program going, donations can be brought to the Mountain View office. For more information, please contact Greta Williams at 787-4548.
