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Volunteers gather for a photos after packing more than 20,000 meals for Children in Nicaragua last Saturday at Edwardsville American Legion Post 199. The annual event supports the NiCE Foundation, which is based out of Highland.

Volunteers celebrate as they pack more than 20,000 meals for Children in Nicaragua last Saturday at Edwardsville American Legion Post 199. The annual event supports the NiCE Foundation, which is based out of Highland.

This past Saturday, the Edwardsville Rotary Club and volunteers from Highland Rotary, Bushnell Rotary, Troy Rotary, SIUE Rotaract Club, Edwardsville High Interact Club and Father McGivney Catholic High School served like a well-oiled machine packing 20,196 meals for children in Nicaragua. 

This continues an annual effort to support the Nicaragua Christian Education Foundation or NiCE Foundation, based in Highland.

The current Edwardsville Rotary Club President, Brent Garner, led the effort to include collecting donations, building the team and leading the Saturday event at Edwardsville American Legion Post 199.

"The highlight for me was to see so many selfless volunteers come out early on a Saturday morning despite icy roads to pack meals for those in need in Nicaragua,” Garner said.

Anne Tosovsky, an Edwardsville Rotary member, said the event allows the whole family to get involved. 

"This effort brings the community together to serve alongside each other. I brought my husband and my son," she said. "We had people here from 5 years old to 75 years old all serving together.”

 NiCE Volunteer, Donna Sylvester said, "I love seeing the same faces here each year packing meals for Nicaragua. It feels like coming back and serving with family."

 The event often sparks healthy, joyful competition between the tables as they pack meals.

"I had a blast and my table won,” Tosovsky said with a smile.

Last year, this group packed over 17,000 meals. This year they set a goal of 20,000, which surpassed. 

For more information on the NiCE Foundation, go to https://TheNiCEFoundation.org or search for the NiCE Foundation on Facebook. 

If your organization would like to pack meals with the NiCE Foundation, you can reach them at theNiCEFoundation@GMail.com or call them at 618-288-6078. 

For more information on the Edwardsville Rotary Club, visit https://edwardsvillerotary.page/