The local teachers union, Education Minnesota 331, recently selected three outstanding community members to receive a “Community Commitment to Education Award” for the time and expertise they shared with International Falls School District 361 students.
This year’s recipients are Harvey Kennedy, Loretta Christianson and Germaine Gilden-Lindquist.
Kennedy, known as the “Pumpkin Man,” for many years has provided pumpkins to the first graders. He said seeing the students’ reactions to receiving their pumpkins makes the growing and harvesting all worth it.
Loretta Christianson was chosen for her work with the FACS program’s textile and fashion class, where each student sews a quilt as part of the class. Christianson is a master quilter and has been instrumental in helping develop the class and advising the teacher.
Germaine Gilden-Lindquist has volunteered in many elementary classrooms. An asset in whatever classroom she volunteers, Gilden-Lindquist comes to the classroom with either a project she has prepped or ready to join in the planned project. She works well with the students and is a reliable volunteer.
FHS officials state, “Our school benefits from all the volunteers that come to our classrooms giving students a real sense of how the community supports them and wants them to succeed.”
