Plains JMG students organize candy cane exchange

In the dark of night last Wednesday evening residents along the streets of Plains could see Santa perched atop a Plains fire truck. Following close behind were the Plains JMG school class exchanging candy canes for food to be donated to the Plains Community Food Bank.

The evening activities were organized by Kati Mitchell, a teacher from the Plains Job’s for Montana’s Graduates (JMG) class. Chief Anthony Young and the Plains Fire Department supplied the perch for Santa in the form of a large red fire truck.

Santa and the JMG senior class started their trek through town at the high school where Young helped Santa climb to his perch. With bags of candy canes in hand, Santa and his helpers started exchanging them for food.

With lights flashing, Young making good use of the truck’s loudspeakers, the entourage continued down Central Avenue, 5th Street and over to Willis Street, across Railroad and ending back at the high school. The evening’s stroll took around an hour and resulted in a pickup bed full of donated food destined for the Plains Community Food Bank.

The JMG Class in Plains started around 1994 with this being Kati Mitchell’s first year teaching the class. Thirteen students from Mitchell's class helped exchange candy canes for food Wednesday evening.

In 1990 the Montana Legislature provided funding for Job’s for Montana’s Graduates (JMG) to assist students to stay in school, graduate and transition into employment, secondary education, apprenticeships, or the military.

Mitchell hopes to make Operation Candy Cane an annual event.