Last month, the Centralia Youth Commission and Gaetti Sports Academy came together for their fifth annual food drive challenge, collecting food and monetary donations for local food pantries. Together, the organizations were able to donate 2 U-Haul trailers and a city pick-up truck full of food items along with checks for $800 each to Feeding Centralia and Wamac Missionary Food Bank.
For the second year in a row, the Youth Commission was able to out-donate Gaetti Sports Academy. Centralia Director of Community Development Gayla Harting spoke at the Centralia City Council meeting on Monday alongside Greg Sutton of Gaetti Sports Academy and talked about the background of the food drive.
“The commissioners used to help with the National Honors Society at the high school,” Harting said. “They do it every spring, and that’s a fabulous thing. Then we got so big, and the kids said, let’s split, let’s do a Thanksgiving food drive. So our kids do that, and their kids do that, and we all still help each other out, and it’s great for the community. Gaetti Sports Academy started challenging my kids to have a little competition and make it a little more fun.”
Harting also thanked Curry and Associates for sponsoring the Youth Commissioners, and Boxd Storage for providing use of the U-Haul trailers which made delivery possible in rainy conditions.
The winning Youth Commission will be treated to dinner hosted at Castle Ridge on behalf of Gaetti Sports Academy. Both Harting and Sutton agreed that while the competition is fun, the real winner is always the community.
Members of the youth commission with food donations. Photo from the Centralia Youth Commission Facebook page.
Donations left at the Wamac Food Pantry. Photo from the Centralia Youth Commission Facebook page.
