After volunteering for the Dormont Free Pantry, Keystone Oaks junior Gabe Spinello wanted to further support the community resource by organizing a food drive through high school. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined how the students and teachers would rally around the idea and contribute to the food drive in such a big way.
“When we first shared the idea, I thought that we would maybe collect 200 items,” Gabe said. “Well, we collected nearly 25 times that amount, with students, teachers, and families donating close to 5,000 non-perishable items for the pantry!”
“To say that I am overwhelmed by the response is an understatement,” he added. “I don’t know where they are going to put everything, but we’ll make it work.”
The food drive was so successful thanks to the members of Keystone Oaks High School’s Allies Club and their sponsor, English teacher Rebekah Brooks. Following a brainstorming session, club members decided to capitalize on the Super Bowl and sponsor a bracket-style “Soup-er Bowl,” with teachers’ 7th period classes competing against one another. Each day, club members counted and recorded the number of items that were donated, keeping a tally for each participating class. In the end, the winning class collected 2,323 items for the food drive.
“I cannot thank my colleagues enough for truly embracing this idea and for engaging in a friendly competition, all for the benefit of our community,” Ms. Brooks said. “Over the past few weeks, the enthusiasm has been palpable, making this a truly valuable and rewarding experience for the members of the Allies Club.”