French Club Raises Over $800 For Jefferson Families

Six children in Jefferson Township will receive gifts this holiday season thanks to the fundraising efforts from the high school french club.

The club put together several benefits this year and was able to raise $800 to purchase gifts for two township families in need this holiday season.

The club's second annual Café au Lait, , raised more than $500 with more than 80 participants.

The money from that went into organizing the club's larger fundraiser, the school's inagural winter semiformal, which took place two weeks later.

French Club Advisor Lori Castiglione-Cangelosi organized both events with the help of her students, and said the event was a success that had about 180 attendees and over $600 raised for gifts.

"The feeling was energetic the whole time," she said. "They [the students] sat down for about 15 minutes to eat, and the whole rest of the night they were on their feet. It was a huge success, they had a great time."

The club partnered with the freshman class for the semiformal, who split the total amount of $1,200 proceeds to go towards their senior prom.

The whole event was French themed called "A Winter in Paris," that included a 17-foot Eifferl Tower, a silver carpet, and everything decorated in white in silver.

Castiglione-Cangelosi, who started the French club in 2007, said the group has grown every year, which started out with 22 students and now has over 60 students involved.

She said the students have shown great initiative in wanting to help the community out.

"We see all these different charity organizations that people donate to all over the world, but to us we believe that charity begins at home so we want to help out right here in Jefferson," she said. "It's a feel-good for the kids too. They know that they're doing good for someone who might live right next door to them, who might live across town."

Castiglione-Cangelosi said the club continues to brainstorm other ideas for fundraisers, and is thinking of doing a spring fling type of event, simliar to the winter semiformal because of its success.

"I couldn't be more proud, and couldn't ask for better students," she said. "They always rise to the occasion and i couldn't feel more proud to be their teacher."