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More than two tons of
food collected Monday
The
cans of corn and boxes of macaroni and cheese have been tallied, and
the results are amazing! In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Day, HandsOn West Central Ohio partnered with Hits 105.5 to collect
more than 4,800 pounds of food for four food pantries and soup kitchens
in Darke, Logan, Miami and Shelby Counties.
A program of Council on Rural Services, HandsOn West Central Ohio
brought together 136 volunteers to organize, staff and publicize the
event. Twenty-six of these volunteers are members of HandsOn’s
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), of which event co-chairs
Mary Williston and Nancy Sharp are both members. More than 350
hours of time and talent were devoted to the event by volunteers, with
the service alone valued at nearly $7,300. Among the volunteers were
Greenville High School Key Club members. Sixteen collection points were
sponsored throughout the region, and all counties received at least 900
pounds of food as a result of this second annual food drive.
Proceeds will benefit Bethany Center, Darke County FISH, Holy Angels
Soup Kitchen and Our Daily Bread. All items stay in the county
they were collected in, with 903 pounds of food directly benefitting
Darke County FISH in Greenville.
“What makes this event stand out is that it was almost entirely
organized, staffed and managed by volunteers,” says HandsOn West
Central Ohio Volunteer Coordinator Sherry Baker. “The leadership
of our RSVP volunteers, who typically assist with a variety of service
projects throughout the year, empowered so many other members of our
community to give back as well.”
HandsOn West Central Ohio Director Nicolette Winner agrees. “The
idea behind this event and the King day of service nationally is to
inspire members of our community to volunteer not only during Martin
Luther King, Jr., Day, but also to give back year-round. We have
so many opportunities for area residents to share their hobbies and
expertise with friends and neighbors in need, and we’re thrilled to
help people get connected with an organization that can best utilize
each volunteer’s own personal talents,” she says.
A national day of volunteer service, the Martin Luther King Day of
Service is a way to transform Dr. King’s life and teachings into
community service that helps empower and strengthen local communities.
The aim is to make the holiday a day ON, where people of all ages and
backgrounds come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers, and
move our nation closer to the “Beloved Community” that Dr. King
envisioned. A record number of Americans honored Dr. King and
answered President Obama’s call to service by volunteering this
year. Americans made it “a day on, not a day off” by delivering
meals, refurbishing schools, reading to children, signing up mentors,
and much, much more.
HandsOn West Central Ohio, a program of Council on Rural Services, is
proud to be a part of this national effort. To learn more about
HandsOn West Central Ohio or opportunities to volunteer throughout the
year, visit www.handsonwestcentralohio.org or call (937) 548-8002, ext.
211. View event photos and videos on the program’s Facebook page
by visiting www.facebook.com/handsonwestcentralohio.
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