Students raise $1K for food drive

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Lending a helping hand is a Big Walnut area tradition, and especially so during the holiday season, when wallets grow slim and the need increases.

Area businesses, clubs and other organizations typically hold food drives for the Big Walnut Friends Who Share food pantry as the holidays approach; and it’s an especially strong tradition for Big Walnut Local School District students to do their part.

Last week, members of Big Walnut High School student council kicked off the holiday season by delivering $1,035.35 in non-perishable food items to the Big Walnut Friends Who Share pantry.

Friends Who Share food bank assistant coordinators John and Marilyn Powers said it was another great year of student council helping the less fortunate.

“This is a rough time of year for many people,” John said. “The higher volume of people that goes through here is a growing problem, because hunger doesn’t go away.”

John and Marilyn both noted that Friends Who Share served 445 families last month.

“For some people with not enough money, it’s a constant effort to take care of themselves,” Marilyn said. “These high school students doing this, they’re learning to do this for the rest of their lives, to take care of each other.”

Big Walnut High School students make the food drive into a contest. Justin Beyer received the individual award for his contribution of $80 worth of food.

The winning class, winners of a doughnut and juice party, was Craig Porter’s second-period class, averaging over $4.50 per student in donations. Luke Moore’s second-period class came in second, earning doughnut holes from YumEe Donuts. Nadine Adams second-period class came in third.

The Big Walnut Friends Who Share store at 216 High St., Sunbury, is open to those in need on Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and during the evening on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

On the second Saturday of each month, senior citizens can visit the Friends Who Share store from 10 a.m. until noon. Volunteers help out at the center from 9 to 11:30 a.m. every Monday. The store accepts donated items on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

To volunteer, to donate needed items, or to make a financial contribution to Friends Who Share projects, call 740-965-9596. Cash donations may be sent to Big Walnut Friends Who Share, P.O. Box 424, Sunbury OH 43074.

Big Walnut Friends Who Share is on the Web at www.bigwalnutfriendswhoshare.org/.

By Lenny C. Lepola

For The Gazette

Lenny C. Lepola can be reached at 614-266-6093. Email: [email protected].

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