To the editor:
The Rotary Club of Brown County would like to thank the community and especially Brown County Schools’ students, families, teachers and staff for making the first Fill the Pavilion Food Drive such an overwhelming success.
We collected almost 12,000 food items weighing about 10,000 pounds that were distributed to the food pantries at The Salvation Army, Mother’s Cupboard and St. Vincent de Paul. We also collected over $500 that will be divided among the three food pantries.
Thanks to Dr. Laura Hammack for challenging the schools, with the school collecting the largest amount of donations compared to the number of students in school earning their faculty and staff the ability to wear jeans every day from Oct. 28 to Jan. 7. Thanks to the principals for running building-specific promotions for the students and to the students and families for stepping up to the challenge.
The schools collected 10,740 items! Helmsburg Elementary School was the big winner, with 4,300 food items collected.
Thanks to the Rotarians who volunteered their time and efforts: Wanda Jones for organizing the event; Larry Hanson for publicity; Tim Kelley, who donated the use of his trailer to transport the donations; and Tim, Jim Tichenor, Jaydene Laros, Mike Laros and Dwight Thompson (along with friends Leighton and Karen Ogg, who were visiting from Texas) for picking up the donations and delivering them to each of the food pantries. Students and staff at each of the schools also helped load the donations. (That was a lot of loading and unloading!) Thanks also to Donna Ormiston, Yvonne Oliger, Ken Harker, Bob Willsey, Laura Hammack, Michael Chamblee, Len Logterman and Kim Robinson for accepting donations at the Pavilion.
The food pantry shelves are now full and, hopefully, the donations will carry them through the rest of the year. The level of caring and support in our community is simply amazing. Thanks again to everyone who helped Fill the Pavilion and the food pantry shelves.
Beverly Teach, president, Rotary Club of Brown County
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