MOOSEHEART - For the second time this year, Mooseheart's schoolchildren have received a large bundle of school supplies, for the nice price of exactly $0.

The provider this time was the "My Coke Rewards" program sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. There were hula-hoops, musical instruments for elementary school students, some learning-DVD packaged sets, physical activity packs for gym students as well as basic supplies such as construction paper and glue.

"It's another one of those opportunities where the food or beverage that you enjoy can also benefit Mooseheart," Mooseheart Executive Director Scott Hart said. "It's a good variety of items. There are materials our art classes will use, some things our elementary music students can use in class and some things our physical education students will put to good use."

Hart and Superintendent of Education Gary Urwiler decided how to apply over 100,000 redemption points, all donated for the school's use by Moose members and others who chose their points to benefit Mooseheart's schoolchildren. The process was similar to the points redemption Hart and Urwiler made earlier this year through the Campbell's Labels for Education program.

"I hope that this saves on their operating expenses for things that they would have otherwise had to have spent money to buy," said Moose Charities Associate Director of Development Pam Amundsen. "When they redeemed the points through the Campbell's program, they got a couple of clarinets, in addition to everything else. These are things they don't have to spend money on out of their operating funds."

The biggest benefit is that the school receives such bounty without Moose members having to spend anything other than the cost of a product they already wanted to purchase.

"The donor has already spent the money on the product," Hart said. "All they need is Internet access to log on to the My Coke Rewards program and designate their points to go to Mooseheart."

That process is made easier by Moose Charities. My going to www.moosecharities.org and by clicking on the "School Support Programs" button on the right of the page, anyone can see the various programs through which they can support Mooseheart's school.

In the case of the My Coke Rewards program, the signup process takes only a few minutes. The process of inputting the numeric codes off purchased Coca-Cola products similarly does not take a long time either.

"Anyone, if they're using Coke products, should be tearing off the ends of the cases and looking on bottle caps and inputting these codes," Amundsen said. "It takes maybe three to five minutes a week. Lodge Administrators can set up an account. And then as they buy Coke products for the Lodge, they can input the numbers. It's easy and it helps the children at Mooseheart."

Founded in 1913, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations - the great majority of which come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,800 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S. , Canada , Great Britain and Bermuda . Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.

Since its founding, Mooseheart has operated a complete, accredited kindergarten-through-high-school academic program, plus art, music, vocational training and interscholastic sports. It is an extremely nurturing and student-tailored program, with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-1.

Mooseheart students who complete their studies with a 3.0 GPA or better (4.0=A) are eligible for up to five years of annually renewable scholarship funding, covering tuition, room and board in an amount comparable to that required for an in-state student at an Illinois public university.

Mooseheart is currently home to nearly 230 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children are, for whatever reason, lacking a stable home environment. Mooseheart boasts its own U.S. Post Office and a fully functioning branch of Fifth Third Bank.

In addition to Mooseheart, Moose International also supports Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville , FL founded in 1922; and conducts more than $90 million worth of community service programs annually.

Founded in 1888, the Moose organization has long offered its members an opportunity to do good for others while celebrating life, with family, social, and sporting activities. For more information on the Moose organization, visit the websites at www.mooseintl.org , www.mooseheart.org and www.moosehaven.org , or call 630-966-2229.