Event brings out the holiday spirit

Carson Valley's donations to the annual KTVN Channel 2 News' annual Share Your Holiday food drive broke a record on Friday.

Organizers collected 58,652 pounds of food for the Carson Valley Community Food Closet and donations amounting to $31,436.

Semi-trucks honked and children screamed out the windows of school buses while passing the parking lot of Carson Valley Inn on Friday afternoon, where dozens of volunteers worked vigorously collecting food and money for KTVN Channel 2 News' annual Share Your Holiday food drive.

"The turnout was great," said Channel 2 News Director Jason Pasco. "We had a steady stream of cars. The amount of food people hauled in was amazing."

Vehicles with donations were backed up to Highway 395 well into the evening.

"We wanted to pop the top off last year's record," said food drive organizer Len Frueh. "If any place could have done it, it's Carson Valley. The response was just awesome."

Last year, the drive raised 48,399 pounds of food and $25,832 in monetary donations.

Although 2008 has been an economic roller coaster, people still turned out in large numbers to donate.

"When others are suffering, we need to help them," said Douglas High School leadership teacher Karen Lamb.

Lamb's 27 leadership students spent two weeks overseeing a food drive at the high school. By Friday, Douglas students and faculty had donated 2,171 pounds of food, which required two vehicles to transport.

They also collected more than $600.

"We've been really successful," said leadership student Ryan Dykes.

Classmate Jordan Marsh said the rough economy was in the back of everyone's mind during the drive.

"People were thinking of the hard times," she said. "A lot of them knew that they were better off than those who needed this food, and they wanted to help."

Senior Lindsay McKay said residents of Douglas County do a great job supporting each other.

"Our community is really good at this," she said. "People know it's the right thing to do."

Students of Sierra Lutheran High School were no exception. Principal Debbie Conner estimated her school raised about 600 pounds of food.

"We're glad to be of assistance to the community," she said.

Pau-Wa-Lu and Carson Valley middle schools donated in other ways: Both of the school's bands showed up to play in the parking lot.

Keeping the food lines flowing were members of the Douglas High Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

"I'm excited to be helping," said 17-year-old JROTC student Michael Hasch. "People are going to feel real good inside when they have food on their plates."