Efforts from CHS & CGS Christmas Concerts; Colonel’s drive-by light display, and Dr. Jim Krieg team-up to create large donation
By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER — Several years ago Steve and Sue Colonel, Chester High School and Chester Grade School Band Directors, began taking a free-will offering at their Annual Christmas Concerts with proceeds going to help support the local Chester Area Christian Food Pantry (CACFP).
In the photo are (left to right) Steve Colonel, CHS Band and Choral Director and CGS Choral Director; Bob Koenegstein, Chester Area Christian Food Pantry (CACFP) Manager; and Sue Colonel, CGS Band Director and General Music Instructor. The Colonels were presenting $2,729.57 to the Food Pantry. The money was raised during the Annual Colonel’s Annual fund-raising drive during free will offerings at the 2022 CHS and CGS Christmas Concerts, the Colonel’s Christmas drive-by light and decoration display at the Colonel residence, by a personal matching gift from Dr. James Krieg of Chester, and an individual $100 donation at the December CACFP Mobile Market. Jim Beers Photo
This long-standing tradition has survived for many years, through Covid-19, bad weather and other drawbacks. The tradition has likewise gone through several modifications and transformations, however, many years later, this year’s 2022 drive turned out to be a most- successful drive that has resulted in great benefits to the CACFP.
When the drive began years ago the Colonel’s asked for patrons of their Christmas Concert to bring canned goods as a form of admission. This form of food drive was much appreciated and netted boxes and boxes of canned, non-perishable food which was donated to the CACFP.
As can be imagined, the donations were greatly appreciated by the Food Pantry as the holiday season produces a high level of need among food pantry clientele. Bob Koenegstein, Food Pantry Manager, said, “We have always appreciated the efforts of the Colonel’s and their donations of tangible goods have helped us get through many holiday seasons.”
As time passed, Koenegstein realized that there are many occasions when donated items do not allow the pantry to refill its shelves.
“You can only utilize so many cans of beans or canned fruit. Many times we have an excess of some items and a deficit of others. Therefore, even though we greatly appreciate any donations that are received, monetary donations have turned out to be more beneficial for us in many cases.”
“We can take a dollar donated by others and through our connections, we can purchase more food items than what people can buy at a grocery store and give us at a food collection activity. By purchasing items that we need, we can keep our shelves stocked with items that clients really need. Many such items are perishable and are not accepted at canned food drives.”
Likewise, as time passed over the years, the Colonel’s realized that it became quite a task to collect, box, haul, and deliver all of the canned, non-perishable goods to the Food Pantry following the Annual Christmas Concerts. The Food Pantry then likewise had to deal with arranging a suitable time to accept, sort and store all of the items in their limited storage areas at the Pantry.
Over time, both Koenegstein and the Colonel’s came to realize that it was more advantageous on the part of both parties to modify the Annual CACFP Drive to modify the effort to a fund-raising drive instead of a tangible, non-perishable canned food drive.
The Colonel’s (Steve at least) are well known around the City of Chester for being Christmas enthusiasts. Mr. Colonel starts planning for the next year’s decorating efforts the day after the current Christmas. His yard, house, garage, and home interior are thoroughly beautified with a multitude of Christmas lights and decorations each year to the extent that the glow from his lights can be seen from outer space!
When Covid-19 struck and forced the cancellation of the CHS and CGS Christmas Concerts, Colonel sat in his driveway and accepted donations from people who constantly drove by his home to view his extravagant Christmas display. He therefore was able to continue making the annual donations to the CACFP even in bleak times.
This year the Colonels were able to host their concerts with full capacity. The events were held at the Chester High School Colbert Memorial Gymnasium where seating was more plentiful and comfortable.
The Chester Grade School Junior High Christmas Concert was the first of Chester School District # 139’s concerts to be held. At that event, Thursday December 1, Mr. and Mrs. Colonel’s free will offering amounted to $512.75. That donation began the 2022 donation amount for the CACFP.
The Chester High School Christmas Concert was held Monday December 12 with a free will offering of $818.41. Following the conclusion of that event Dr. James Krieg approached Band and Choral Director Steve Colonel and offered to match the amount collected by the free will offering.
He followed through with a donation of $818.41. That made the amount collected at the CHS concert $1,636.82. That amount added to the grade school’s collection of $512.75 increased the total 2022 donation level to $2,149.57.
The Colonel family also held collections in front of their home on several nights as guests came by to view the 2022 Colonel Christmas display. They also had several donations sent to them apart from the drive-by viewings. The total personally collected by the Colonels amounted to $480.00. With that donation the total amount of the 2022 effort increased to $2, 629.57.
A final donation was made by Wednesday December 21 at the monthly CACFP Mobile Market held at the Cohen Recreation Complex in Chester. The donor asked that the $100.00 donation be included in the overall collection that the Colonel’s had accrued to that point. With that final $100.00 donation the grand total of the 2022 Sue and Steve Colonel Fundraising effort came to $2,729.57.
Both Sue and Steve Colonel made the presentation of the $2,729.57 to Bok Koenegstein, Chester Area Christian Food Pantry Manager, at the Pantry on the final day of the 1st Semester of District # 139 classes.
Koenegstein said, “We are extremely grateful for this donation and those that have preceded in recent years. This allows us to be able to serve those who are in need of adequate food supplies. Our clients are very thankful for that which they receive and those that made the individual donations to make this possible are to be thanked also.”