And the giving continues

Just because we have passed the ‘season of giving’ it does not mean that is what has to happen – we stop giving.

Something the ‘Fun Committee’ from 21st Century Equipment hasn’t forgotten; the employees are holding a food drive until the end of Feb.

“This is the first year we are doing something like this,” service coordinator Kristin Simmons said.

“It was kind of a collective idea. We had done a store survey and there were a couple suggestions of trying to do more community service. Our committee was tasked with going through those surveys and seeing how to implementing some of those ideas.”

Head of the food drive and Parts Specialist Stephanie Barrett said the survey was “a company-wide survey” and not open to the public with each of the 11 stores focusing“on the employees within the store tohelp them (employees) feel that their voices are heard.”

So the idea for this food drive truly came from within the hearts of the 21st Century Equipment employees.

“This was something we came up with as a way to help out the community,” Simmons said. “I had heard about this particular mobile food pantry a couple times on the radio and we thought it was nice because it wasn’t just Sidney (the mobile food pantry covers), it was the whole area which is nice because as 21st Century we are so spread out and cover the whole area. And on the same token we know it is not going somewhere else to the other side of the country or something like that. It is going to help people in our own area.”

Cassy Wood, administrative assistant, is in charge of the food box, located only at the 21st Century Equipment Store, and delivering the food to the Mobile Food Pantry and said everything and anything is welcome.

“Anything that is non-perishable, canned and boxed is welcome. Some of the things that are in more demand that they don’t get very often,” Wood said, “are peanut butter, boxed macaroni and cheese, kids’ fruit snacks and fruit rollups, canned soups and fruits.”

The ladies are anticipating a once a week drop off to the Mobile Food Pantry, “unless it gets to be overwhelming,” from an incredible turnout then they will deliver more than once a week.

“The box (for donations) is just behind my desk and I have the raffle tickets too,” Wood said.

“Cassie is right at the front door,” Barrett added.

To thank the people who are helping out in restocking the Mobile Food Pantry, through food donations to the food drive, they will receive a raffle ticket that at the end of the drive makes anyone who has participated eligible for the drawing at a banquet 21st Century is hosting in March.

“For every item you bring in you will receive a raffle ticket,” Barrett said. “In March we are going to have a banquet and invite everybody that donated and we are going to raffle off their choice of a safe, a mower, a compressor or a grill. So everything you bring gets you one more ticket into the drawing. I thought it was a nice way to give back to those who are already giving.”

Barrett said they were not too sure how much they would rise in food for the Pantry, but was hoping for quite a bit.

“I think this year is kind of a wait and see, to see what kind of response we get to it,” Simmons added. “I really think this is something we will continue to do and maybe next year we can have a goal depending on what we get this year.”