Every year, Poland Seminary High School and Poland Junior High come together to host an annual food drive! The food drive is held to collect canned and non-perishable food items for the local food pantries in our community. The purpose is to make sure everyone has food for the holidays, no matter what the situation is. It warms the heart of the community when people are able to help out others in need, in any way they can! The food drive is held by the Student Council, but the entire school comes together to help out.
Kate Harrell, 2025 class president, has participated in the Food Drive long enough to know just how much the food drive helps out in the community. She loves participating and organizing it every time.
Harrell claims her favorite part was “…seeing the impact we make as a community for people in need.”
Harrell mentioned how the Food Drive is not only amazing for those who benefit from the collected food, but it is a gentle reminder for all of us to be thankful during the holiday season because “…even in Poland there’s a lot of need for food and other necessities that I would have never guessed there was.”
Poland is a town that is known to be a very fortunate and strong area, but there are always people in need no matter where you are.
A huge part of the food drive is getting everyone in the school to take the time and participate.
In past years, Poland has gone above and beyond to provide over a year’s worth of food for people in need. This has made a significant influence on our society, but more importantly it had the biggest impact on the people who need it the most. Most of the recipients from the food drive are the elderly, who may be retired, and do not have a way of income.
However, the food drive helps donate the food they need and rallies the community together!
It is a great way to spend our holiday season because everyone deserves a nice warm meal!!
This year, Mr. Snyder, the Poland Seminary High School principal, has announced the grade with the most non-perishables will get a dress down day for an entire week! If students were not inspired then, everyone is now!
Another participant of the food drive, and a member of student council, is Derry Daily, 2025 class treasurer, and he had some very knowledgeable thoughts to share.
Daily emphasized the importance of “relying on each other to come together and help others.”
According to Daily, this is the only time of year being involved with such a helpful drive is generally low-commitment, so everyone should do their part and participate!
Daily also wanted to highlight the impact this event has had on him, saying, “I’ve learned that in times like these, when most people would celebrate the holidays, you have to consider people who don’t have the same access as you. So that’s why it’s important to give more than you gain.”
This is the time of year we spend our time eating good food and opening presents, but being able to help the people who don’t get these things is the real gift and reward.
Overall, the food drive is an amazing effort that Poland community has done consistently every year to help out those in need. There have been other schools that have started food drives of their own, following Poland’s example, after being inspired by the event becoming featured on the news! Not only does the drive give Poland much recognition, but it also inspired many other organizations to start their own food drives. Although this gets a lot of attention every year, it’s important we don’t forget why we do it. There are always people in need, and every can or nonperishable item helps. It feels great working together to ensure everyone has a great holiday season!
