Student food drive boosts food bank

For a frantic nine days in December, the Kiwanis Key Club at Sisters High School leads a canned food drive to benefit the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank. No matter that it is in the midst of holiday activities, or end of the trimester, or final exams; these student go all out to gather as much as they can as quickly as they can.

The completion is intense and school-wide, with the seniors besting their underclassmen again this year with more than 1,100 cans collected.

"It's a great project that everyone can really get into, because we can see real, tangible results to help folks in need in our community" said Brenna Weems, Key Club president."

It's a lot more than just gathering; after the cans are collected they have to be checked for expiration date, sorted, transported to the food bank and weighed, and finally packed onto the shelves. This year's harvest logged in at just over 1,800 pounds.

The Key Club effort is conducted in conjunction with Aspen Lakes Golf Course and Resort's annual food drive.

This year, as well as last year, the Cyrus family, owners of Aspen Lakes, joined in on the fun and worked with their son Alex, a senior, in donating food. Combined with their donation last year of 1,500 pounds of food, the Class of 2015 donated over 2,000 cans and boxes of food to the Kiwanis Food Bank in the last two years.

Food drive coordinator Dakota Wagner reported,

"When the students were approached with the idea, there was an instant reaction of excitement. Every senior was thrilled to have the help of Aspen Lakes.

Brenna Weems, stated: "I think that it is awesome that so many community members and high school students care so dearly about our community and are willing to help out people in need. The spirit it brings is amazing!"

Speaking for the seniors, Class President Maddi Boettner said: "We all want to thank Aspen Lakes and the Cyrus family for their generous donation to the cause and their willingness to help the City of Sisters. It's amazing to have such a spirited class and community, two years in a row!"

The drive runs throughout the winter and allows golfers to play 18 holes for $30 when they donate three non-perishable food items. Their record of donated items to the food bank weighed in over 3,000 pounds.

The drive does more than simply bring Christmas cheer.

"The food that is collected in this drive helps the Food Bank make it through the winter months when our demand is the highest of the whole year." said Naomi Rowe, food bank manager. "Non perishable, canned food is a mainstay for many of our community members in need through the coldest months. In the winter the Food Bank helps more than 100 families each month," she said.