Junior and senior members of the Bluffton High School student senate helped stock food pantry shelves earlier this week. In the photo on the left are Anna Spiridigliozzi, Leah Conley, Alton Burkholder and Kayla Kindle. In the photo at the bottom of this story are Christopher Harnish, Zane Myers and Christian Groman.

The Bluffton Community Assistance Program's food pantry in St. John's United Church of Christ is very busy this month.

Lots of food donations arrive, donations need placed on shelves, and then the food is distributed to individuals and family in the school district who have special needs.

Earlier this month, for example, Bluffton middle school student senate conducted a food drive with collected items donated to the food pantry. The food drive goal was 1,500 items; actual donated total reached 1,505 items.

Earlier this week junior and senior members of the Bluffton High School student denate helped stock food pantry shelves of those and additional items.

On Saturday, pick ups and deliveries to individuals and families supported by the Community Assistance adopt-a-family program take place under the direction of Jami Crawfis, Connie Maroscher, Donna Kidd and other community volunteers.

Among those volunteers are the Bluffton Boy Scouts who help with deliveries.

While December is perhaps the busiest month of the food pantry, it is a year-around program.

Stocking the pantry each month are some former teachers from Bluffton Elementary School and other friends interested in serving the community by helping with the pantry:  Bonnie and Ray Hammond, Cheryl and Thom Craig, Sue and  Tom Schaaf, Mary Edmiston, Janette Reineke, Nancy and Ed Yeager, Lisa Shelly, and Tom and Anita Bogart.   

In a recent 12-month period, Crawfis told the board that the program assisted approximately 45 families.

Community Assistance board members are: Ed Yeager, Fred Steiner, Basil Meyer, Pat Rodabaugh, Jeanne Reineke and Lin Rumer. The program’s mailing address is PO Box 52, Bluffton, OH 45817.

PHOTOS:
• Anna Spiridigliozzi, Leah Conley, Alton Burkholder and Kayla Kindle
• Christopher Harnish, Zane Myers and Christian Groman