Landis Sunday School Class Members
Give $160,000 in Three Years to People in Need *
  By Terry Davis-Carter, Register & Bee staff writer

DANVILLE, VA. – Members of the Landis Sunday school class at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church have the spirit of giving year-round, not just at Christmas. Over the last three years, members of the class have donated more than $160,000 to help individuals from the Danville area less fortunate than them.

"The thing that is most significant about this is that it helps people who otherwise would not get help," said Linwood Wright, teacher of the Landis class.

Wright said the class decided to start the "Good Samaritan Fund" after a class member pointed out there were several needs in the community that were slipping through the cracks.

According to Wright, no fund-raisers were held to raise the money. The fund is strictly dependent on class member contributions. There have been between 12 and 18 students in the class since the project began. The class has helped members of the community pay their utility bills, rent, and mortgages, Wright said.

Wright pointed out that the class does not pay doctors' bills but has helped several people with their dentistry needs. In addition, Wright said, the class has helped people purchase orthopedic shoes and prostheses.

*  As of August, 2004, Mount Vernon's Landis Class members had helped 680 families for a total of $246,000.00.

In 2007, Landis Class members found that they could no longer directly handle the increasing number of requests for aid. The class continues to give financial aid, but local social service agencies now vet and refer applicants.