Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 23, 1993 TAG: 9312240199
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV_1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The 295 pupils at the small Montgomery County school gathered more food for the Salvation Army drive than any other school in the history of the New River Valley, bringing in a total of 3,453 packages of food. In fact, they donated more food than any other school or organization in Virginia.
``The response was astronomical,'' said Sgt. Tom Atkins of the Salvation Army based in Pulaski. ``I have employees who have said the same thing - it's phenomenal.''
The food drive began when Atkins visited the children earlier in the school year and told them what the Salvation Army is all about. Right then, Atkins said, he knew the response would be good.
``The kids were really excited,'' he said. ``It really helped being able to come and talk to them and tell them about who they would be helping.''
The cans, boxes and bags of food weighed in at just over 3,200 pounds - about the weight of a dump truck. The food, packed into 61 gift boxes, could fill the back of a dump truck, too.
What makes Prices Fork's food drive so special is the sheer volume of food raised by such a small school - an average of 12 packages of food per child. In comparison, another school participating in the food drive has more than 1,500 students yet, according to Atkins, has collected only five gift boxes of food. One school with almost 600 students has collected six boxes.
So, what's the secret behind the pupils' success?
Principal Larry Arrington said it all started out with the assembly in which Atkins came to speak.
``The kids got all fired up,'' he said. ``Then we told them the winning class [the class collecting the most food] would get a pizza party. Of course, kids will do anything for pizza.''
Kindergarten teacher Kym cq Helms has another theory.
``I'm a competitor,'' she said. ``People say competition between children is not good, but the fact is, it is part of our everyday life and as long as you don't lose sight of what you're trying to accomplish, I think it is good ... look what the kids have done.``
After the children had cleared their pantries at home, they asked their grandparents for donations. Once the grandparents' cabinets were picked clean, they went to the grocery stores, and even walked door-to-door, asking neighbors to pitch in for the effort.
Helms' class was one of two classes to tie for first place in the food drive, but because the entire school has done such an outstanding job collecting food, Arrington and members of the Parent-Teacher Association agreed everyone should have a pizza party. The Salvation Army will provide a bigger pizza party for the co-champions (Helms' class and Laura Sexton's fifth-grade class) after Christmas.
``The kids are elated they've done something for someone else, and we really made a big deal with them [about that],'' Helms said of her kindergartners, who collected 512 packages of food. ``It was absolute fun.''
The children's sentiments were all about the same:
Eric Lawson, 10, was one of the children who decided to go door-to-door for donations. ``We're helping other people and having a fun time doing it,`` he said.
``We help people who don't have no food for Christmas,'' 6- year old Katie Greenfield said.
``You feel good because you get to give to people you don't know and they have a better Christmas,'' said Hannah Wakley, 10.
Atkins said the success of the food drive in Prices Fork ``says a lot about the community.
''A lot of people will be [served] by this. ... Some of them from this same community.''
Last year, 1,900 people were helped by the Salvation Army. This year, despite projections that fewer people would need assistance, 2,135 signed up for the program. Atkins blames this increase of about 235 families on the economy.
by CNB