Cloverdale High School to host food pantry

CLOVERDALE — With Principal Sonny Stoltz saying the initiative has been a long time coming, a new food pantry hosted by Cloverdale High School is coming to fruition.

With a “dry run” on track for Sept. 22, Stoltz detailed the need for the Clover Cupboard to the Cloverdale School Board recently. While there is still “a long way to go,” he said, the food pantry has garnered support from the community.

Stoltz relayed that funding has been received to purchase food for the pantry’s first year. Apart from donations, the pantry will also be supported by Gleaners Food Bank.

Stoltz said the pantry’s distribution could serve between 200-300 people on average. As such, the start plan is to have daytime openings on Fridays from 9-11 a.m. and nighttime ones on Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m.

Advertising the pantry’s opening has been soft as the logistics are being figured out. One element of holding the distributions at the high school is to make a drop-off point at the back more accessible.

He noted how CHS Secretary Gwendolyn Stattner has worked to put together menus and taken interest in the legalities, as the pantry could be a tax-exempt 501(c)(3).

Addressing outside rumors about its procedure, Stoltz said visitors would go in a circle and pick items, as well as being able to “shop.” He emphasized that no one will be turned away, while people can shop for others provided they truly need it.

“A lot of this really’s not much preparation on their part, it’s really more about the service,” Stoltz said about students’ support. He related this to the high school’s Leader in Me program and its valuation on service to others.

Board President Vivian Whitaker noted that the Putnam County Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Committee has committed to securing grants at each high school. She suggested that this could be a funding avenue for equipment and other needs.

“We’re not really worried, it’s just going to be overwhelming to start out,” Stoltz said candidly in conclusion.

All considered, the board also approved to compensate Stattner as the food pantry’s secretary. This is as these duties will be outside of school hours.

In other business:

• Members of Cloverdale FFA related that a community toy drive is being planned for Dec. 8 at C Bar C Expo Center. The effort is being coordinated by FFA committees at both Cloverdale and South Putnam, with the goal being to serve 250-plus students.

• The board approved purchasing new weights and related equipment for the newly revamped weight room at Cloverdale High School. While the exact price was not stated, Supt. Greg Linton said the equipment would be covered by the Rainy Day Fund with “plenty of cash” available.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Employment: Courtney McClure and Holly Watkins - CES paraprofessionals; Dawn Tucker - seventh-grade science teacher; Tyce Jackson - CHS instructional assistant; and Heather Stokes - executive secretary;

• Volunteers: Kristen Kukman - CHS volunteer volleyball coach; and Hannah Suits - CMS volunteer assistant volleyball coach.

With Board Secretary Donna Fidler and member Emily Haltom absent, the rest of the board and Stokes joined Whitaker and Linton for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale School Board is set for Monday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Office near Cloverdale High School.