Altrusa recognized as Organization of the Month

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors usually recognized a business of the month, but for March they made an exception. 
On Tuesday, they paid a visit to this month’s first meeting of Altrusa International of Copperas Cove and awarded that organization with the designation of Organization of the Month. 
Ambassador president Laura Jordan explained the reasoning behind this month’s award. 
“Twice a year, we identify those organizations that go over and above and do fantastic work for our community. Nonprofits all do good things, but some do a lot of good things and they do it wall and that is what Altrusa is all about,” Jordan told the group. 
She also talked about the initiatives the group promotes and carries out in the community.  
“We all know, Altrusa is about books. Altrusa gives out books to Head Start here, and every Head Start kid gets to go home with a book,” Jordan said. “(Books) are the way you open horizons for children. That is so huge.”
She also mentioned a recent endeavor of the group, knitting caps for babies for a local neonatal intensive care unit. Also, the group volunteers once a month to help stuff backpacks at Grace United Methodist Church, which sends home backpacks of for needy students over the weekends. Additionally, Altrusa has a clothing drive each fall, during which they collect donations of socks, undergarments, sweatshirts, jackets and other items that are distributed to CCISD students in need. In addition to books for Head Start students, the club provides every 1st through 3rd grader in CCISD with a book.
“And this is where they do it well,” Jordan added. “They have one major fundraiser every October, their golf tournament. They raise so much money they are able to give so much more throughout the year, more than they are expected to do.”
Cindy Hutcherson, Altrusa President, accepted with thanks on behalf of the organization. 
“We have a great group of worker bees,” Hutcherson said. “We stay under the radar and we just enjoy contributing to Copperas Cove. We’re all about the kids, from our NICU babies to Head Start, and all the way to our senior citizens in the nursing homes.”