Douglas High School Block D members unload the food they purchased from Smith’s for the Carson Valley Food Closet.
Photo by Sarah Drinkwine.
Weighing at a total 4,040 pounds of food and goods, the Douglas County High School Block D club delivered their largest donations, yet, to the Carson Valley Food Closet on Wednesday.
For more than 20 years the Block D club has participated in a Turkey Drive where students collect donations from the community to buy Thanksgiving dinner supplies to be donated to the food closet.
This year, students raised $5,500 and were able to purchase 2,540 pounds of turkey and ham, all the trimmings for the holiday meal, and other items such as hygiene and toiletry products from Smith’s.
“The students did great and as usual this community just gives, and gives, and takes care of everyone,” said Block D Advisor Joe Andrews.
Junior and Block D Officer Hailee Koontz and first year member Rachel Girdner agreed they enjoyed giving back to a community who are supportive of Douglas High School and the club.
“All of us have been pretty blessed to grow up in such an amazing community and to give back to a community that has supported us feels amazing and like we can help make a difference,” said Koontz.
“Everyone in Block D are fantastic people and the Turkey Drive really is amazing, and I feel blessed to be a part of it,” said Girdner.
Carson Valley Food Closet co-director Tracie Votel said this has been the most abundant year the food closet has seen and it is much needed as there has also been an increase in the need throughout the community.
“We have given over 100 dinners in four days,” she said, “and we still have the next week leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas too, so we are very grateful for what Block D does.”
The food closet wasn’t the only receiving donations from the Block D club on Wednesday.
Suicide Prevention Network Executive Director Debbie Posnien was picking up 17 of the meals to help support 25 families in Sierra Pines.
“I am not even the one receiving all of this and it makes me emotional, this is such a great thing,” said Posnien.
Posnien said her team would be cooking the turkeys for the families at Sierra Pines and delivering them in time for Thanksgiving.
The meals at the food closet would continue to be distributed leading up to Thanksgiving.
For more information, visit https://www.thefoodcloset.org/ or call the Carson Valley Food Closet at 775-782-3711.
