TRCC collects food boxes for Christmas Clearinghouse

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Vet Science students gather the boxes they collected to add them to the school-wide effort that will benefit families in Marion County being served by Christmas Clearinghouse—a project of the Junior Service Guild. All programs at Tri-Rivers participated.

At Tri-Rivers students and staff “Work Hard, Play Hard and Give Back.” The recent Annual Food Drive is a great example of this philosophy. All of Tri-Rivers programs participated with donations made by staff, students and extended families. The collected food boxes will benefit families in Marion County being served by Christmas Clearinghouse, according to the event coordinator, Rhonda Irey, Tri-Rivers EMIS/Administrative Assistant.

For every box that each lab filled with the suggested 24 items from Christmas Clearinghouse, they received five tickets to be put into a prize drawing. If a lab collected 24 items, but not from the list, they received two tickets for each box collected. Everyone got into the spirit of the contest!  Along with the Career Tech students and program instructors, staff from Academics, Student Services, Student Resource Center, and the Main Office were assigned to help with the collection of food boxes.

As Mrs. Irey explained in her poem:

Thanksforgiving should not happen – only once a year.

Nor should it happen – just when filled with pandemic fear.

When reaching out to others, at home or across town

Giving, sharing, and being near when life brings others down.

In this year of the unknown, we question our own faith

Please reach out in love to help those in stress – escape.

Suggested items for each box included: 6 cans of vegetables; 4 items of pasta and related items; three proteins and one box mix; two fruit items and two personal items; four cans of soup; and two miscellaneous items, such as cereal, crackers, hot chocolate or cookies.

We collected 60 prepacked Christmas Clearinghouse boxes filled with 24 suggested items and 373 miscellaneous donations of nonperishable and personal items totaling over 1800 contributions.

Superintendent Chuck Speelman, Principal Chris Solis and Mrs. Irey had the honor of drawing for the prizes. First place lab was Vet Science, winning a Pizza, Chips and Soda party. Second place was Interactive Media, winning an Ice Cream and Pretzels Party. Third place was Health Careers Academy winning a Cookies & Milk Party.

The real winners will be the recipients of the food boxes. And the TRCC staff and students will tell you the feeling of giving is always a win!

“The generosity of Tri-Rivers students and staff, will help many, many families this Holiday Season,” said Irey.