Charity Newsies thanks supporters

On behalf of the nearly 600 Charity Newsies and more than 13,000 children we clothe each year, I want to thank the residents of central Ohio for their outpouring of support of our Annual Paper Sale on Dec. 9. Through their kindness and generosity, we collected over $425,000 on a cloudy and windy Saturday.

The work we do could not be accomplished without The Dispatch, which provides us with the special-edition newspapers to sell each year.

I also pay gratitude to the thousands of Charity Newsies who have been part of the newspaper drive since our humble beginnings in 1907. Although Newsies are best known for dressing in our white coveralls the second Saturday of December when we sell our special-edition paper, we participate in fundraising and outreach events in support of our cause throughout the year.

Our outstanding membership includes:

Bob Pierce, owner of Pierce Brothers Cleaners on North High Street in Clintonville, who passed away this year at the age of 91. Bob was a proud member of the Charity Newsies for more than 50 years and generously offered his fellow Newsies free dry-cleaning service for their overall whites.

Don Lund, who at 91 arrives at Charity Newsies Headquarters every Tuesday to complete applications to help families in need. He has been a Newsie for more than 60 years.

Tom Beck is spearheading a public-art initiative for Charity Newsies, working with local artist Bruce Hanners to create a life-sized statue of the original “Newsie” boy selling newspapers which, when completed, will be displayed Downtown at Broad and High where our organization began in 1907.

Donations can still be made at www.charity newsies.org or by mail to Charity Newsies, 4300 Indianola Ave., Columbus, OH 43214.