NORTHFIELD — A roar rumbled through the Northfield Elementary School gymnasium on Wednesday as teachers and students drumrolled to build suspense over the announcement of the final tally of items collected in the annual food drive.
“I want to tell you how proud I am of all of your hard work bringing in these items,” Principal Kristen Schreiber told the students at the assembly. “At our school, we value kindness and helping others, and this is an amazing opportunity for us to be helping our community, so by working together as a school, we are also helping our community.”
Fourth grade teacher Carolyn Baskowski then told students the grand total: 1,554 nonperishable food items. The drumroll gave way to gasps and applause from students and teachers as Baskowski said the tally nearly tripled last year’s count of 561 items.
“That is incredible, and it’s all because of you,” Baskowski said.
In an email after the event, Schreiber said she was unsure of the cause of the significant jump in donations this year, but she guessed that the high number of locals in need and the community’s commitment to giving back could have contributed to the high tally.
“Our community is amazing and genuinely cares about one another,” Schreiber said.
After the assembly, students from preschool to sixth grade filed out of the gym and formed a line stretching from the school to Dickinson Memorial Library across the street, where Northfield Regional Food Pantry volunteers collected the donated items. The food pantry is housed in the basement of the library.
“The purpose is to find ways for our students to do some community service and to make a connection with our community,” Schreiber explained as the students hurried outside.
One by one, the 121 students passed items to the classmate to their left.
Starting at the end of October, fourth graders visited classrooms and encouraged their fellow students to pitch in items for the Northfield Regional Food Pantry before Thanksgiving. Then, they tallied the items the morning of the big announcement.
“It’s fun to get the food and help people,” fourth grader Caroline Field said in the library basement, the tail end of the food drive chain.
“They see what we do helping other people less fortunate than themselves. Plus, they just love doing this,” Northfield Regional Food Pantry Manager Linda Chapin said as students walked over to hand the volunteers cans.
“The excitement of the kids is just wonderful to see,” said beaming volunteer Debbie Frechette.