The student council hosted the annual fall food drive. They were aiming to collect sixteen-thousand pounds of nonperishable foods for students in the community from November December. The food drive is a way to help local families who might be suffering from food insecurity. The donated items go to students whose main food source is from the school, so they can be fed over the holiday breaks.
Albert Lea has many citizens with food insecurity. According to the City of Albert Lea website, there are more than 3,400 residents in Freeborn County that rely on hunger assistant programs. Places like the Salvation Army help provide meals for the people in need. The food insecurity within the Albert Lea community is at 7.5 percent (Albert Lea Insights). By the Dec. 1 deadline, the drive fell short of the goal by three thousand pounds. Student council was given two extended days to raise more possible donations in order to reach their goal of sixteen thousand pounds. The new deadline was extended again because the second day was an eLearning day due to weather. In the end, the extension worked and the final amount was 20528.5 pounds.
Sophomore Audrey Gustafson has been part of the food drive and student council for a few years. This year she is helping guide younger members that are volunteering to help out.
“I’ve been more like a leader,” said Gustafson. “Kind of exploring the different roles and all the stuff that goes into putting on the food drive.”
During the fall food drive, members of the student council go to rooms during Flex every Wednesday and Friday to collect donations. Students can donate nonperishables like canned foods, rice, cooking oil, condiments, noodles and can even donate money. Every dollar goes to five pounds of food for students in need. While they mainly collect nonperishables, other foods are weighed and counted for these students to have. Some of the food goes to the Care Closet for ALHS students. The Care Closet can fulfill basic needs like clothing and hygiene. This year’s food drive has been another success for helping people in need.
Gustafson joined the food drive group three years ago, “I honestly wanted to get into more projects for Student Council,” Gustafson said. “And this one seemed like a nice one.”
Students and staff can both participate in the food drive. Based on the amount of food and donations that are collected, the students can earn rewards. Last year, students got a half day to celebrate. This year, collections came with the promise of pieing teachers in the face and another half day during the Holidaze celebration week which was Dec. 15-19. The half day on Friday, Dec.19 began after lunch from 12:30-2:55. Many teachers hosted different activities in their room like coloring, making snowflakes, holiday movies and hot chocolate. In the gymnasium, a dodgeball bracket tournament took place with open concession stands and a holiday treat bake sale. The pie-in-the-face happened right before the final round of dodgeball. The winning team was Erik Zinter’s senior flex and included Ace Dyce, Carrson Ewing, Hayden Lowe, Isabella Navarrete, Grace Nelson, Layla Presholt, Brodie Rassler, Sylus Vines, Charlie Williams and Roman Wyant. They raised 2,750 pounds and got cupcakes as a reward. Each grade had a winning Flex who got to nominate three teachers to pie in the face. The other grade level winners were Jeremy Corey-Gruenes (8th grade), Kevin Gentz (9th grade), Dan Harms (10th grade), and Ken Fiscus (11th grade). The final pie-on-the-face volunteers were Gentz, Dean Harrison Koetz, paraeducator Isaiah Peterson, Principal Sean Gaston and teacher Stephanie McCarthy.
Holidaze Week includes dress up days. Monday was Pajama Day. Tuesday was Groutfit (all grey). Wednesday was Summer VS. Winter. Thursday was Class Color day. Friday was Christmas or Ugly Sweater.
There are challenges with running a food drive.
“The biggest challenge would be getting people to bring stuff in and advertising it,” Gustafson said. Student Council put together posters and put the news of the possible prizes on Tiger Vision to help promote the food drive and have students bring in more.
