Mat-Su College staff and students continue giving tradition

PALMER — A handful of volunteers from Mat-Su College will make a difference for Valley families this Thanksgiving. For the 17th year, mathematics professor Ping-Tung Chang, along with a group of his students and colleagues, have collected Thanksgiving donations for area families.

Chang said the first year there were about 25 recipients. Last year, the number was about 50, and this year the group will feed 37 families.

“There is no criteria for receiving food baskets,” Chang said. “If they need it then why not?”

Volunteer Angelina Klapperich said a large number of families were nominated from within the college.

“Students at the college and staff members would nominate people,” Klapperich said, as she checked names off the list Monday morning.

For recipient and volunteer Wendy Parsons, the food donation is great. Parsons said this was the first year she has received a basket.

“I’ve never gotten one before, only put in for other people to get one,” she said.

Parsons said the basket is perfect because not only will it feed her family of five, but she has other people over for Thanksgiving dinner also.

Each gift box comes with all the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal — corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, stuffing and, of course, a turkey; or in some cases, a ham. One thing the group did this year was help another Valley fundraising effort through their own holiday event.

The Colony High School marching band is raising money for a trip to the Rose Bowl by selling Thanksgiving turkeys. Chang decided to boost that fundraising effort by having some of the staff at Mat-Su College purchase turkeys from the band to use in their gift baskets. He said they probably spent around $400 on the turkeys.

Klapperich said the generosity has been amazing.

“Just this morning we had a student come in with his son and give us four turkeys, and we had another student donate $250,” she said.

For the small group of volunteers this is just a warm-up for the Christmas holiday. They do it all again through the month of December, and the need for donations will be higher.

Klapperich said they will take anything for Christmas baskets, but there is a real need for food. Gift cards or monetary donations will work, too, volunteer Doug Bartko said.

To donate to the Mat-Su College Christmas food baskets, stop by Mat-Su College or contact professor Ping-Tung Chang at 745-9727 or ptchang@matsu.alaska.edu.