A Teacher Wishlist Project was recently held by the Good Deeds Service Club to help local educators with classroom supplies for the 2023/2024 school year.
This was the second year for the Teacher Wishlist Project which donated $800 in school supply funds last year but has grown since becoming more of an application process. “Our original plan was $2000 for 10 teachers; however, when we kept receiving applications, we voted to expand our budget and offer something to each applicant for a total of $2900.” Any educator from Muskingum County was eligible to apply. In all, 19 educators were helped this year including those from Maysville, John Glenn, Tri-Valley, Zanesville, and additionally St. Benedict in Cambridge.
“We had the teachers come to the office on the 16th to pick up their gift cards and it was a great day. They were so appreciative and excited. Each of them told us how they planned to use the funds for their classrooms, and commented that these are often things not in their budget and might otherwise come out of their own pockets. We felt really good about being able to help them,” stated Steve Matson, President and Chaplain of the Good Deeds Service Club and Owner/Financial Advisor of Matson Retirement Planning.
The Good Deeds Service Club organizes four impact projects each year to help the community. A father/daughter dance was held in March raising around $2000 for the John Glenn Track and Field programs. In May the club hosted a Drive Through Dinner which raised $2,200 for the South Zanesville UMC Food Pantry. This October, the annual community shred day will take place on the 28th from 9-12 in the Matson Retirement Planning parking lot located at 1166 Military Road in Zanesville. Shred-it mobile services will be on site. Shredding is free but donations will be accepted for the VFW Post 1058 Zanesville Veterans’ Christmas projects. Grace & Grounds Coffee Truck will also be set up during the event.
“I feel that this club has given us the opportunity to be involved in the community and give back in a Christian way that is important to my office.””As an industry, there is sometimes some negativity and perhaps a lack of trust towards those in the financial profession. But not all financial advisors are the same; I have been doing this for over 40 years & the client’s best interest always comes first. I feel that this club has given us the opportunity to be involved in the community and give back in a Christian way that is important to my office,” Matson explained.
Good Deeds Service Club is sponsored through Gleaner Life Insurance, a fair h-based non-profit organization. “We are always looking to expand our club, as we are a small but mighty group to pull these things off.” Applicants of all ages are accepted but they typically must be Gleaner members. The group also has options to sponsor a small number of people for the first year through a community-based member designation. “My grandkids are members, and my office manager Tracy has her teen boys involved. There is a youth membership option, called Just for Kids, that is very inexpensive and will get a child qualified to apply for the annual scholarship program too,” explained Matson. The club meets once a month.
For more information about the Good Deeds Service Club or any of their upcoming events can call (740) 454-7646, visit their website www.matsonretirementplanning.com, or follow us them Facebook/LinkedIn.
