High schools rise to Armory’s challenge to help food pantries

Sgt. Frank Gardner and Staff Sgt. Ignacio Diaz move a box of non-perishable goods into their truck at Cloverdale High School, with some help from custodian Don Bain (right).

Banner Graphic/Brand Selvia

Acting on a commitment to service within the community, a recent initiative by the Greencastle National Guard Armory has given a boost to two Putnam County food pantries.

Driving a light medium tactical vehicle (LMTV), Sgt. Frank Gardner and Staff Sgt. Ignacio Diaz collected non-perishable food items donated by the junior and senior classes at Greencastle High School and Cloverdale High School Friday morning.

After they were counted before the lunch hour, the upperclassmen at Greencastle High School ultimately donated 687 items, while their peers at Cloverdale High School gathered 466. This totals to 1,153 donations collected.

Staff Sgt. Ignacio Diaz (left) and Sgt. Frank Gardner of the Indiana National Guard load a box of donations collected at Greencastle High School.

Banner Graphic/Brand Selvia

Gardner told the Banner Graphic that the drive ran from Dec. 2 until yesterday. He added that it was coordinated and supported by administration at both schools, who made daily announcements encouraging students to give.

As the contest’s winners, the Greencastle junior and senior classes will enjoy a pizza party covered by the Indiana National Guard. They will also receive a plaque commemorating the event.

The food items collected at Greencastle High School will be donated to the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry, while those brought in at Cloverdale High School will go to the food pantry at Soul Harvest Church.

“Both communities are winning on this one,” Gardner said as they finished securing the donations received at Cloverdale High School.

“There really is only one winner,” Diaz also added.

Gardner said he had reached out to staff at North Putnam High School and South Putnam High School inviting them to participate. However, both schools have just held food drives of their own.

Even so, Gardner hopes that when North Putnam and South Putnam come aboard, the drive will become a friendly annual competition that supports a good cause. A traveling trophy awarded to the school with the most donations is also in the works.

“We just want to let people know that the National Guard is a community asset,” Gardner said. “This is a way for us to give back to the community we live, work and serve in.”

The Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry is located inside the Beyond Homeless building at 309 E. Franklin St., Greencastle. It is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Soul Harvest Church is located at 14 Crosswinds Dr., Cloverdale. The food pantry is open on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m.