Limestone College Student Government Association president Nicholas Shumate speaks with Meals on Wheels Director Terry Dennis after presenting Meals on Wheels with a $60 check from the college's student government. This amount is enough to cover a month of meals for one Meals on Wheels client. Nicholas Shumate and his Limestone College student government members each placed three dollars in an envelope during their monthly meeting in November.

The students’ contributions resulted Tuesday in the delivery of a $60 check to Meals on Wheels. This amount was exactly what it takes to cover a month of meals for one Meals on Wheels client.

Shumate stopped by Meals on Wheels to present the student government’s donation following a busy morning attending class and working on projects before the college closes for the Thanksgiving holiday. His student government association has made community service a major point of emphasis over the past several months.

“Our focus this school year is on giving back to the community. We plan to do one community service project each month,” Shumate said. “This is a way of showing Limestone students care about our community.”

With 805 full-time day students, Limestone College has an estimated economic impact of $60 million on Cherokee County. Students will receive $680,761 in financial aid this school year for academic, athletic, music, theater and art scholarships.

Shumate, a Rock Hill native, is one of the few South Carolina residents in Limestone College student government. The organization includes students from Florida, Tennessee, New York, British Columbia and Croatia.

“Cherokee County has given a lot to us at Limestone College. We really appreciate the community for their support,” Shumate said. “We want to give a little back for everything which has been given to us.”

Limestone student government members just finished shipping 21 boxes overseas to children while assisting with “Operation Christmas Child” at First Baptist Church. A Meals on Wheels route is among the other community service projects which Shumate said the college students plan to discuss in the future.

Meals on Wheels is preparing for the busiest time of the year with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The nonprofit organization just finished collecting fresh fruit baskets and homemade items to deliver to its 365 Meals on Wheels recipients.

In December, Meals on Wheels Director Terry Dennis said the nonprofit organization will work on collecting gloves, scarves, stocking caps, men and women’s personal hygiene products and Christmas cards to help make the holiday season a little brighter for county residents.

“We are very appreciative to the Limestone College students for their donation. Meals on Wheels is about neighbors helping neighbors,” Dennis said. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. We could not provide these services to residents without the support we get from our 415 Meals on Wheels volunteers in the community.”