NewsMidwest Academy students collect items for two local food pantries
By Diane Vance/Gate City Staff WriterA suggestion from staff proved to be a learning opportunity as well as a community service project for students. And that will result in a boost to food pantries at two Keokuk churches.
Students at Midwest Academy held a two-week challenge between the boys and girls to raise money and/or collect non-perishable food items. “We discussed collecting food items after reading in the Daily Gate City that food pantries were having a hard time keeping up,” said Tara Sparrow, Midwest Academy admissions coordinator. “Our parent support association then took over organizing the project. They organize an activity about once a month.” The two teams collected money and/or food from family. The private school's staff also donated money and brought in food items. “We had ‘wear jeans to work' days where we could dress in jeans if we paid into the food drive,” said Shasta Thurman, student supervisor. The food drive was more work than either Sparrow or Thurman had anticipated. It also was more successful. The students raised more than $1,200 to shop with locally. On Monday, 1,814 items will be delivered to the churches. “The majority of this will be taken to God's Way Christian Center,” said Thurman. God's Way Christian Center, 1629 Des Moines St., Keokuk, runs a free soup kitchen four days a week as well as a food pantry and clothes closet. Midwest Academy students will deliver the food and help organize and serve dinner Monday at God's Way. Some of the items will go to United Presbyterian Church, 102 Main St., Keokuk. The church offers a free “brown bag” meal the last Sunday each month to the community and also stocks a food pantry. Canned foods, boxed macaroni, breakfast cereal, bottles of ketchup, salad dressings, jars of peanut butter, Ramen noodle packages and so much more was piled in a spare room at Midwest Academy. On Tuesday, three upper level students counted the boys' collections. The girls' stockpile had already been counted and sorted. “I went shopping a week ago,” said Tony Urban, a student. “Another guy and I went to Walmart. We filled a cart with food items. We selected the items. We ended up buying foods and juices that might appeal to kids.” Jacob Eilerman also shopped with another student at Walmart on Monday. “We had $150 and filled two shopping carts,” he said. Thurman made four shopping trips with the boys team. Part of the challenge was to track purchases and stay within the amount of cash each team took shopping. “We had to put some stuff back,” said Urban about his shopping trip. Eilerman calculated how much was in the carts, removed one can of tuna fish and ended up with just a few cents to spare. “It taught me how to grocery shop with a budget,” he said. “It was a challenge to figure out how to buy the necessary staples.” Each team spent the donations they had worked to collect. Midwest Academy girls collected less money than the boys yet came out ahead in the number of food items they were able to buy. “It's a competition to see which team purchased more items,” said Thurman. “The winning team will get a party.” She would not disclose the final food counts to Urban, Eilerman and Suvham Metra who helped count the boys' food items on Tuesday. “It will be announced on Eagle News,” she told them. The boys collected 812 items; the girls, who chose to shop at Aldi's, have 1,002 items to donate to the churches. Copyright © 2010 - Daily Gate City
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