Fill the bus

The third annual “Fill the Bus” food drive is collecting food for Community Action Partnership Food Bank which helps feed hundred of needy families in Boundary County.

On Martin Luther King Day from  9 a.m. to 3 p.m. , Monday Jan. 18., a  school bus will be at Boundary Trading Co. and a furniture truck provided by Rich Beck of Beck’s furniture will be at Safeway and volunteers will fill the vehicles with donated food.

Sponsored by Lewis and Clark Service Corp. the Americorps community service project is collecting food to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day making it a “day of service.”

Americorps  promotes and sponsors community projects world wide.

“The whole point of Americorps is giving back to the community,” said Americorps member Squire Fields. 

Americorps member Pam Moe and Fields are asking the community to make it a “day on” instead of a day off.

“There will be food collections points in the stores to collect food donations”, said Moe.  “Boundary Trading Co. will have grocery bags already filled with food and can be purchased and donated.”

The local schools will also be collecting food until the one day event.

Cash donations are also accepted and last year the food bank received $500.  The cash is used to purchase items that may not have come in donations.

“People have been wonderful donating over the holidays,” Moe said.  There is still a big need after the holidays so donations in January are very important.”

Last year the event collected more food that the previous year and all involved felt it was a huge success.  Moe and Fields are looking forward to another successful year.

Volunteers are welcome to come and help load and unload the bus and truck.   There were 62 volunteers last year including teachers, retired teachers, students from Bonners Ferry High School, Boundary County Middle School, Echo Springs students, parents and local elementary students.

For information, call Pam Moe at 610-6923 or Squire Fields at 610-1116.