Community comes together to Stuff the Truck for needy By Leanne Fuller lfuller@paducahsun Volunteers from Baptist Health Paducah and Heath Middle School worked cheerfully in the cold December air Tuesday to load a tractor-trailer with non-perishable food - and accept monetary donations - in the Baptist Health Imaging parking lot. Baptist Health Paducah and Lourdes hospital hold the annual Stuff the Truck drive to gather donations for local food pantries as part of Paducah Power Systems Christmas in the Park. This year, the light display, hospital drive and Paducah Powers school challenge - in which 12 schools compete to donate the most food - will benefit Paducah Cooperative Ministry, Family Service Society, the Salvation Army and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. Among the Heath Middle School students loading food into the truck Tuesday was eighth-grader Gabbie McLeod, who previously volunteered for the event in sixth grade. McLeod, who hopes to work as a guidance counselor or social worker when she grows up, said she enjoys helping others, So this is kind of where I fit in. And I just like...seeing peoples faces when they get things they need. BHP Director of Pastoral Care James Wright said the hospital begins the drive among its staff early in November and had already collected more than 7,000 pounds when Tuesdays event began and raised between $1,300 and $1,500 in cash donations by midday Tuesday. He said Stuff the Truck is organized at BHP by its Spirit Club, which had already raised more than $700 through a variety show and other activities at the hospital. The hospitals various departments compete for bragging rights of which can raise the most. Its been a real interesting thing for us and exciting to watch people give and put it together so the hungry people in our community have a resource and a place to get food, Wright said. Wright said BHP hoped to raise at least 10,000 pounds of food at Stuff the Truck this year. He expressed confidence that the hospital would surpass that goal. He said folks began arriving with grocery donations shortly after the truck set up at 6 a.m. and a steady stream of donations came all morning. The amount of food that we normally collect will last until about April in the food pantries, he said. Paducah Power spokeswoman Andrea Underwood said Paducah Power is very appreciative of the support the community gives Stuff the Truck and the other Christmas in the Park events. You know, all of the food thats collected, it comes from the community. Its very much a community effort, and the hospitals are so supportive, Underwood said. The kids participating in the school challenge are really working hard, and we just couldnt be more grateful for everybody that puts forth some sort of effort to make it the event that it is. Stuff the Truck continues today at the Lourdes parking lot from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wright said hed like to encourage folks who couldnt make it out to BHP on Tuesday to participate at Lourdes today. Were two different hospitals, but, when it comes to taking care of community needs, we work together, Wright said. So were in this together. We encourage people to just bring it any time, and well have places and resources for them. Wright said people dont have to wait for Stuff the Truck to donate to their local food pantries and other charitable organizations. He said those interested in donating during other times of year can contact the Pastoral Care Office for information on which organizations need food.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 14:04:43 +0000
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