SANDUSKY, Ohio, Dec. 19 -- Cedar Point amusement park/resort in Sandusky, Ohio, provides more than thrills for its guests. It also gives food and assistance to those who need it most during the holiday season. Cedar Point recently announced that it will donate nearly $6,800 from its 2007 Loose Change Fund to the Victory Temple Soup Kitchen in Sandusky.

In addition to the monetary donation, Cedar Point has also donated two truckloads of kitchen hardware and food to the Victory Temple Soup Kitchen. In all, the donated goods totaled more than one ton of food and supplies.

"We are extremely appreciative of the donations that Cedar Point has made," said Rev. Lonnie R. Walters, senior pastor of the Victory Temple Church. "These gifts definitely help us get through the year and provide much-needed assistance to the less fortunate people in the area."

During the season, Cedar Point employees collect and turn in any loose change found underneath rides, in the park's fountain or along the midway to the Loose Change Fund. Since 1988, Cedar Point has collected and donated more than $177,000 from the Loose Change Fund to local organizations.

Cedar Point will also make a donation of more than $1,400 to the Northwest Ohio Aluminum Cans for Burned Children Fund of the Burn Care and Reconstructive Center at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo.

Aluminum Cans for Burned Children is a special recycling program conducted by northwest Ohio firefighters and area businesses. Money earned from recycling aluminum beverage cans helps purchase non-medical items and services not covered by insurance that are essential to each patient's recovery. The fund is also used to provide burn prevention education programs for children throughout northwest Ohio and helps send recovering burn survivors to a regional summer camp designed especially for burned children between the ages of 6-18.

During the season, aluminum cans were collected from recycling bins placed in employee break areas. Since 1989, Cedar Point has donated more than $28,000 from the recycling program.