Gretchen Tschetter found a way to help people and earn personal awards, too, by build­ing and donating cabinets that hold food and other items.

A rising senior at Wylie High School and St. Paul resident, Gretchen belongs to the Ameri­can Heritage Girls organization, which is similar to Girl Scouts, and she conducted a project for the Wylie Christian Care Cen­ter. The project resembles one that a Boy Scout would do to earn an Eagle Scout designa­tion, said Mary Warkentine, ex­ecutive director of the Christian Care Center.

Gretchen conducted a food drive for the center and collect­ed over 600 items, Warkentine said, and she built a donation drop box, located on the side of the building, so people can use it when the center is closed. Peo­ple may drop off food (non-per­ishable) and personal items, such as toiletries and clothes, in the box.

Stationed in front of the building is a cabinet similar to neighborhood free libraries. It is a mini food pantry that the center can stock with food and other items, primarily food, and people may come by when the center is closed to take whatever items they need.

For the full story, see the June 16 issue or subscribe online.

By Don Munsch • [email protected]