KINGWOOD — Volunteers from the Kingwood Rotary Club and The Kingwood Lions Club worked together to “Pack the Bus” for the Back Pack Feeding Program. Pack the Bus is a once-a-year food drive for the Back Pack Feeding Program. The program bridges the weekend food gap for 340 Preston County students grades Pre-K to 12 who
are in need. Each student in the program receives two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and two snacks.
Youth Service Providers and school counselors confidentially enroll students in the program based on need. The program is funded by donations and grants from businesses, organizations, individuals and the August Pack the Bus Food Drive.
Food For Preston Director Tammy Laney said the Pack the Bus Food Drive is in its seventh year. She said the Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department and
Auxiliary, the Preston County Senior Citizens/Buckwheat Express, and members of the Rotary Club and the Lions Club help with the drive.
Lions Club member Gary Livengood said his organization participates in the program every year. “I haven’t missed a year. The program is very important. Many young kids in the county don’t have enough food, and this program helps them,” he said.
“This is a great program,” Rotary Club past president Mel Snyder said. “Our Clubs (Lions and Rotary) get together and participate because we believe it’s such an important community project. Tammy Laney is on our Buckwheat Festival Rotary float for our Friday theme. We do that to create public recognition for this program.”
Snyder said the Woman’s Quota Club gave the Rotary Club a $2,000 check for the program. “They (the Quota Club) are folding and wanted to do something with their money. They decided to give the Rotary Club the check to give to Food for Preston for Pack the Bus,” he said.
Laney said the Al Bonnaroo Musical Festival raised eight thousand dollars this year. “They gave four thousand dollars to Food for Preston for the Pack the Bus program and four thousand to the Mon County Pantry Plus program that puts food in schools,” she said
For more information or to make monetary or food donations to Food for Preston, call 304-379-3519 or email coordinator@foodforpreston.org.
