Mike and Sue Austin would have had no trouble laughing all the way to the bank last Wednesday night: What’s more joyful than a giant check for $2,500?
Plus, they were less than a minute’s drive away from Security State Bank.
The couple has been collecting school supplies for schools in the Chehalis School District and St. Joseph Catholic School for about 20 years.
For a recent chunk of that time, they’ve been aided by the support of the Chehalis Foundation. And, on Wednesday, the Chehalis Rotary Club presented the couple with a check that was about the size of Sue.
The club recently raised funds through a spaghetti feed, ice cream sales at the Chehalis Music in the Park series and other efforts.
“We’re very, very fortunate that we’ve been able to raise some funds for this community,” said Chehalis Rotary President Boyd Calder, later adding, “Service above self, that’s our motto. And it’s really, really true. … It doesn't matter who gets the credit. If we all work together, we’ll be successful.”
Sue and Mike Austin said they were first inspired to raise funds for school supplies when they realized teachers were buying supplies with their own money.
