NORFOLK – Some students in the drafting program at Northeast Community College in Norfolk took it upon themselves to help others in need. About a half dozen students in the College’s Drafting Club went door-to-door recently in some Norfolk neighborhoods to collect non-perishable food. It was donated to the local Salvation Army.
Salvation Army Captain Miranda Duskin said the donation comes at an important time for them. “This will help us as we distribute food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas. We expect to assist over 300 families at Thanksgiving and close to 400 at Christmas. They have signed up to receive the baskets from us for their meals during the holidays.”
Sophomore Catherine Martinez, Norfolk, came up with the food drive idea after conducting a similar drive when she was a student at Norfolk Senior High School. “Our Cross Country team did this and I thought it was pretty cool. It gave me the idea that we should do this again because it worked the first time.”
Martinez said the only benefit that she and the other students wanted out of this was the satisfaction of simply helping others. She admits some people questioned their motives when they were collecting, but not everyone. “Several people were very nice about it and thanked us for what we were doing.” The students wore Northeast t-shirts to identify themselves when they collected the food.
“We wanted to do something to help out the community,” Martinez said. “We didn’t have a lot of money to give to a charity, so we volunteered our time and labor instead. We are very thankful to all those who contributed to the food drive. Their donations are much appreciated.”
“This is like a Christmas present for us,” Duskin said. “The need is great this time of year and with prices being so high, it’s wonderful to know that people are thinking of others.”
Duskin said they often get food donations like this, unaware that drives have even taken place. “This one really surprised us as did another at Halloween where some kids asked for donations of canned goods instead of candy and then they brought them to us,“ she said. “It’s great to see people in the community take upon themselves to do a good thing and think of others instead of themselves. It’s nice when the community can lift each other up.”
Instructors Harry Lindner and Michael Holcomb are Northeast Drafting Club sponsors.