Walden III students donate 10,300 pounds of foodand $6,000 to Racine County Food Bank

Dan Taivalkoski of Food Bank with stack of food collected by Walden students

Older generations love to criticize the younger generation, how much trouble they get into, the terrible music they listen to, how they waste so much time on video games or social networking, how they wear their hair in outrageous styles and colors.

What we don't hear about -- because it isn't news? -- is the good some of these kids accomplish.

Like the students at Walden III, who this morning stepped forward with 10,300 pounds of food for the Racine County Food Bank. Nor did they stop at that; they also presented Dan Taivalkoski, executive director of the food bank, an oversized check for $6,000.

Nor is this a one-time occurrence. Walden III consistently ranks second or third in the community, donating more to the food bank than almost every other local donor, behind only some big corporations and agencies like Feed the Children.

"It is truly heartwarming to see the effort that these kids put into raising food and funds, and no one has more fun at the end of a drive than they do," Taivalkoski said after this morning's assembly and presentation. "If these kids are our future leaders, our community will be in good hands."

Sadly, the need is greater than ever. The trend, Taivalkoski said, is less donated food and funds, along with an increase in demand for services. In October, the local network of pantries provided assistance to a record , 2,190 families. This year, the county's pantries served 728,583 meals to 59,620 individuals.

Thanks to Walden's donation, along with a recent gift from Caron Butler, the Racine County Food Bank is preparing an additional 1,000 holiday meal boxes, double the number distributed in previous years.

Photos by Kimberly Mycon and Dakota Gursky of Walden III Yearbook