Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

October 6, 2010, Front Page & Page 2

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Marty’s giving back to area youth organizations

By Peter Spicer

Since 1995, many shoppers at Marty’s Foods in Neillsville have known what to do with their receipts after purchased during the fall and have raised over $15,000 for area youth.

Area nonprofit youth organizations are listed on boxes near the checkout lines so shoppers can place their receipts in the box slot of the youth organization they want to support as part of the “Cash for Kids” program.

After Nov. 6 this fall, Marty’s will give one percent of the receipt totals in each box to those organizations.

“We get such a good response out of [the program],” said Annette Marty, who owns Marty’s Foods with her husband, Terry.

The program allows organizations to afford the activities they want and allows students to participate in those programs who may not have been able to afford to participate, said Annette.

The project helps organizations pay for a wide range of activities and items, including tournaments, camps, sports equipment, Sunday school, scholarships and books, said Annette.

The average organization earns approximately $1,000, but one organization earned a record $1,400 for their cause one year, said Annette, who added approximately 20 organizations participate each fall.

Many organizations already signed up to have boxes at the store, but organizations can join the program as late as they want.

Area youth organizations with boxes currently at the store include Neillsville’s United Church of Christ (UCC) Sunday school, Neillsville’s Calvary Lutheran Youth, St. John’s Lutheran School, Neillsville Area Special Olympics, Immanuel and St. John’s Christie Lutheran, Youth Hockey Association of Clark County, St. Mary’s Religious Education, St. John’s Preschool, Neillsville Living Hope Evangelical Free Youth, Neillsville Seventh Day Adventist youth, Bible Baptist youth, Granton Area Schools, Neillsville Hillside Community Church youth, Pine Valley Lutheran Sunday school and the Neillsville Optimist Club.

“It’s just a good program,” said Annette, who explained the money raised from the project “goes right back into the community.”

Annette (left) and Terry Marty pose next to boxes at Neillsville’s Marty’s Foods where customers can place receipts to support the youth organization of their choice as part of the ‘Cash for Kids’ program. After the project ends Nov. 6, Marty’s will give one percent of the receipt totals in each box to that organization.  (Photo by Peter Spicer/Clark County Press)