To the editor:

The Readiness to Learn Foundation would like to give our appreciation to everyone who helped make this year’s Box Lunch fundraiser a great success. Each person or business’ purchase of a box lunch enables us to provide programs and services to children in our south end communities. Of the 1,200 lunches sold across the Island and in the Camano/Stanwood area, more than half of those were purchased by residents and businesses right here on the South End.

A big thank you to the following financial contributors in our community: Good Cheer, Whidbey Island Coffee Company, South Whidbey Eagles, Windemere Real Estate, Whidbey Island Bank, Teresa Pate, Trinity Lutheran Church, Dick and CeCi Waltz, Heath and Robin Gunn, Robert Perkins, Joan Smith, Dr. Ric Prael, Gemkow Construction, Useless Bay Coffee Company, J.W. Desserts, Virginia Lindsay, Salley Hardenberg and Paul’s and Co.

The generous in-kind and monetary gifts of these local businesses and private donors provided the supplies necessary to make the box lunches, so your $10 donation can be fully put toward helping children and families.

And, of course, don’t forget to thank your favorite Readiness To Learn volunteer! Countless hours of work and love went into sales, data entry, cookie baking, sandwich wrapping, packing and delivering — the list is endless!

We would also like to show our love and appreciation for Mr. Tom Arhontas, who recently passed. He was a joy to work with and gave his dedication, humor and charm not only to this year’s box lunch, but to all of our programs here at Readiness to Learn and to the community at large.

Needless to say, this fundraiser is a community effort and the Readiness To Learn Foundation cannot say enough about how much we appreciate all of the people and organizations who make its success possible each year through financial contributions, volunteering or buying lunches.

Gail Lavassar

Marilyn Norby

Sarah Berger

Ann M. Johnson

Lauri Johnson

Readiness To Learn Foundation