There is a new food program in Logan County seeking sponsorships to feed needy and at risk children.

Elizabeth Workman and Kimberly Hensley met with members of the Rotary Club of Logan to discuss the backpack food project as well as pick up a check sponsoring two children in an area school. Longtime Rotary treasurer Eddie Canterbury of Logan Bank and Trust asked the Rotary to make the sponsorship possible and challenged other civic clubs in the county to sponsor at least four more children.

The ladies explained that backpacks are filled with preprepared meals and distributed to children on Fridays so they will have breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekends. Workman said that according to her sources there are approximately 3,260 at risk children in Logan County who may not be getting proper meals on weekends.

"We have been working with the school system to determine who needs our services," Workman explained. The program currently has 14 children sponsored in schools across Logan County including elementary, middle and high school children for one year.

"There are 1,432 children who have been identified as qualifying for our program," Workman said. "Which is why we are seeking sponsors. It costs about $5 per day for thee meals over two days each weekend."

The meals are primarily foods that seal with pop tops and are non-perishable.

"We try to prepare meals for children who don't have to cook them," Workman said. She and Hensley explained that the program also provides food for siblings of children in the program who may not be of school age, as well as items like toothpaste and toothbrushes and Christmas presents as funds allow.

"It seems amazing to think that there are children out there who don't get enough food to eat on weekends but it is true," Workman said, noting that some teachers have found students eating Ketchup on Monday morning complaining of being hungry.

Workman saw something about the Backpack Food Program on television and researched it and decided to get involved.

"Logan County has a poverty level of 24 percent which is roughly twice the national average," she noted. "With the economy getting bad, it’s very rough on some children."

For more information about the Goshen Project contact Workman or Hensley at 304-687-6803 or email thegoshenprojectinc@yahoo.com.

Workman and Hensley said they have been applying for grants locally and looking at seeking sponsorships from area church groups and civic organizations as well as individual sponsors. The backpack food program is currently active in 41 states.

Longtime Rotarian and Man High School Hall of Fame sports legend Ron Lemon said he planned on speaking with his church about sponsorships for the project.

Currently there are 3,260 children in Logan County receiving assistance through the West Virginia Child Nutrition Program. The Goshen Project presented the idea of the Backpack food program to the Logan County Board of Education in February.

Workman and Hensley say they would like to enroll 30 children this year. Cost of the program is $470 per child per school year for 94 days of meals.

The ladies have also spoken with the Omar Womens' Club about the project.

In other Rotary news:

•Rotary President Mike Winter said ticket sales for the Rotary's annual Elimination Dinner fundraiser are going swiftly but there is still time to get a ticket for the November event. Proceeds go towards the Rotary's charitable projects many of which are geared towards helping needy children.

•There will be no Rotary meeting on Veterans Day.