For Thanksgiving this year, Student Council, along with FCCLA, held a food drive for Hays High School’s food pantry.

After a last-minute decision, the StuCo advisors decided to pivot to the Fill the Pantry drive instead of having the normal Toys for Tots toy drive that is usually held at this time in the school year. The decision was made so the community service project this year would directly benefit Hays High students and their families.

Each PRIDE Time was provided a box and a specific recipe that they were in charge of acquiring ingredients for. Students were instructed to either bring one component of the recipe or bring a complete list of ingredients. If they only brought one ingredient, it was combined with other ingredients brought by their classmates to make a complete meal. The top three PRIDE Times that raised the most meals received donuts.

Currently, more than 90 meals have been put together for the food pantry, and more are still being counted. Luke Lundmark’s PRIDE Time took first place in the competition, followed by Kathy Wagoner and Kathleen Vahling’s PRIDE Times, who placed second. Third place went to Codi Fenwick’s PRIDE Time.

“It’s great seeing Hays High students stepping up and supporting such an amazing program,” Lundmark, the StuCo co-sponsor, said.

25rbates@usd489.com