MAC STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE TO ‘EXTREME’ FOOD DRIVE

BY LAURIE KIEFABER
Tribune News Editor
Friday, November 06, 2009

Maconaquah students, teachers and others donated over 4,000 pounds of canned goods and nonperishable food Friday to area food banks as part of the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" food drive.

Originally, the collection was going to be part of "Make A Difference Day" and encouraged by the United Way of Miami County, according to a Maconaquah School Corporation press release. However, school officials later decided to take the food items out to the Cowan home work site.

FFA members at Maconaquah placed boxes at many locations to collect the food, according to the release. They included all Maconaquah schools, the Miami County Courthouse room 115, Bunker Hill United Methodist Church, Bunker Hill First Baptist Church, Kroger, the U.S. 31 Marathon gas station, McGrawsville Feed and Grain, Woody's Bait Shop and Village Pantry gas station.

Boxes were decorated by Pipe Creek students and posters were made for each location by the Maconaquah Elementary Student Council, according to the release. On Friday, three students from each school loaded boxes of food onto the school bus. The group also was assisted by Trooper Randy McPike of the Indiana State Police, who escorted the bus.

Several Maconaquah students loading the bus were happy to participate in the collection.

"The whole FFA group put boxes around different places," said David Harmon, a Maconaquah High School freshman and FFA member. "... I think (the food drive is) a success."

Dalton Smith, a Maconaquah eighth-grader, helped load the bus at the various locations.

"It was a lot of work," he said. "It's a lot bigger (project) than I thought it would be. We had to double and triple up at the front of the bus (for seating)."

Kayla Hughes, an MHS junior, enjoyed the day.

"It was really fun," she said. "I got to meet new students. I'm happy to be contributing to a project like this. The organizations (getting the food) deserve it."

Alyssa Shields, another Mac eighth-grader, said the students and Maconaquah staff set up a chain to pass the cans through the bus.

"I have enjoyed the day," she said, adding "The (Cowan) family deserves (a new house). I know one of them and they're really fun to be around."

The student guessing the closest to the weight of the food donated was to receive an iPod, according to the release.

Maconaquah school officials had taken the bus ahead of time to Rock Industries for weighing. Empty, it weighed 20,820 pounds. Full, the bus carried 4,840 pounds of food, according to Dave Noonan, Maconaquah High School principal.

"I am proud of the efforts of the entire Maconaquah community," said Superintendent Deb Jones.

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