Garwin resident Aaron Gay, back right, pictured recently with his family. Gay, a Green Mountain-Garwin Class of 2011 graduate, spearheaded a fundraiser earlier this month to pay off more than $3,100 in school lunch debt at his alma mater. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

GARWIN – While he may not be Santa Claus, Garwin resident Aaron Gay sure played the part for many families in the Green Mountain-Garwin Community School District last week by wiping out thousands of dollars in school lunch debt.

Through a community fundraising campaign he started on Facebook on Dec. 12, Gay, a GMG Class of 2011 graduate, managed to raise an impressive $3,649 in total funds toward the roughly $3,100 families had accumulated in lunch debt this year. And on Friday, Dec. 20 – the last day of school before winter break – he stopped by the school to donate the money.

“It’s pretty amazing that we had that much community support to meet that large of a goal in only days,” Gay told the newspaper shortly after paying off the debt. “I gave [the school district] everything that got raised through the campaign. If I do remember correctly, [the debt amount since Dec. 12] did go up. There were two weeks in there since we first got started. That extra will cover any remaining.”

Gay had the idea to pay off the lunch debt after calling into the school earlier this month to settle his own children’s lunch balance and it got him to thinking.

“I called in to pay our kids’ lunch bill and the question popped into my head, ‘How much [were families] behind on the lunch tabs?’ I didn’t know if they could give that information away. I asked them and she gave me a total and I was kind of shocked.”

The newspaper reached out to both GMG Elementary Principal Stacey Busch and Superintendent Chris Petersen in regard to how lunch debt in the district is addressed but had not heard back as of press time.

According to the GMG parent/student handbook, the price of a PK-6 lunch is $2.40, while breakfast costs $1.60. When a family’s breakfast/lunch account dwindles to $5, parents/guardians receive a notice from the school regarding the low balance. Once the balance reaches -$20 (in arrears), “the student will be given an alternate meal consisting of a sandwich, fruit, and milk until the balance is brought back to above the -$20 level.”

On Dec. 12, Gay wrote on Facebook: “I am taking donations this holiday season to pay off the past due lunch accounts at GMG. No parent should have to choose between lunches and presents for kids. A lot of families are struggling with bills due to the economy and other factors and most don’t qualify for free lunch programs. If you want to help ease the burden on families by donating whatever you can I would greatly appreciate it.”

About 35 different individuals stepped up and donated toward Gay’s efforts. All were mostly local folks, he said, who had either graduated from GMG or lived in the surrounding community.

The newspaper was made aware of Gay’s efforts by GMG school board member Ann Jackson, who said in an email of the young father and GMG alum: “I’m just so proud of him for recognizing this need and organizing our community to do something about it!”

After receiving so much community support, Gay said he hopes to bring the lunch debt fundraiser back again next holiday season.

“Today [Dec. 20] was the last day until Christmas break is over, so I figured that would be a good way to start off the holidays for parents. … [The school] was very, very grateful for it and happy that a lot of the families don’t have that burden around.”

Sun Courier note: The GMG parent/student handbook states that “in cases of financial need, free/reduced lunch program application materials are available at registration and from the District Office.”