The Salem Community High School canned food drive collected 24,130.5 cans.
The drive came to an end Monday morning as all the homeroom classes brought in the canned goods they had collected during this year’s drive.
Student Council Sponsor Matt Donoho made the announcement about the total number of cans collected.
“Wildcats that is a number to be proud of. Think of all the families you are helping this Thanksgiving, holiday season, and winter. And we thank you so much for your participation.”
Donoho also announced the total collected by each homeroom, with the combined homerooms of Sherry Hargis and Amy Telford collecting 10,647 cans. Hargis says a number of students in her class went into the community to seek donations.
“We raised over $5,000 and then IGA gives us a good can price so we bought 3 pallets of cans last night and then Amy’s husband Doug parked the trailer in their barn. That’s what takes the longest is bringing them in, marking them off, and hauling them into the gym.”
The winning homeroom classes of Sherry Hargis and Amy Telford with the 10,647 cans they collected.
Student Council President Ivy Donoho explains why students want to get involved.
“It’s to help the community and help people that need food.”
Salem Student Council and Honor Society members then moved the food from the small gym at the high school into a truck donated by Meador Boys Trucking to the Salem Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry at the Salem Community Center. The coordinator of the food pantry Jennifer Simmons says the SCHS food drives have replenished the shelves that were getting bare.
“Kids are fantastic. They don’t hesitate, they just do it. The community, this wouldn’t be possible without them, the kids, the parents, and everyone who donated money and cans. It’s greatly appreciated and I can’t wait to see what they do next year.”
Simmons says the donations will get through the holiday season. She reports 100 people are utilizing the food pantry on a regular basis now, up about 15 from this time a year ago.
Loading up the cans into the Meador Boys Express Truck outside SCHS. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
The food arrives at the Salem Community Activity Center for placement in the Food Pantry. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
