By BOBBIR GREEN
The Progress
For the past eleven years Overton Power District has hosted a company-wide food drive through the public schools in both Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley, through the month of November.
This year was no exception. The drive urged area school kids to donate and collect 16,000 pounds of canned food. This food was distributed to the Virgin Valley Food Bank in Mesquite and the Moapa Valley Family Resource Center in Overton.
“We give the schools the flexibility to hold the drive at their convenience,” said Keith Buchhalter. “Some go all month, some just 2-weeks, some may start in October. Regardless, it involves the children participating in helping others in the community. That is a good thing.”
OPD volunteer helpers and workers picked up the donated food from the schools weekly throughout the drive, and delivered it to the food banks each week. This kept the food banks from being suddenly bombarded with a huge volume of donations all at once, Buchhalter said.
Moapa Valley Family Resource Center Director Penny Vallone said that the OPD5 drive is an important one for her foodbank.
“We are grateful to OPD, they are one of our largest food contributors,” Vallone said. “They not only host the drive, but they pick it up and deliver the food. That is extra helpful. There are only a few of us that work here at the Center so any help we can get is appreciated.”
Similar words of appreciation were echoed by Virgin Valley Food Bank Director, Leslie Montgomery. “The food drive orchestrated by Overton Power and all the school children this year was better than ever,” Montgomery said. “ We would like to thank everyone involved for all their hard work as they provided for families in need.”
Montgomery praised the school children of the community for stepping up and being willing to support this drive. ““When their teachers asked the students to help those less fortunate, they responded enthusiastically,” she said.
Administrators at local schools said that the OPD5 food drive is one that is looked forward to by their students each year. Grant Bowler Elementary School principal Kelby Robison said that his students love participating in the food drive. “Our students were very excited to assist those in need,” Robison said.
“We really appreciate OPD5 sponsoring this event each year. Happy holidays to all of you.”
Buchhalter said that the annual food drive is one of his favorite outreach programs that OPD5 does in the community.
“When we reach out to the kids they respond wholeheartedly,” Buchhalter said. “The program gives the children the opportunity to learn the sense of giving to their community. It is so fulfilling for me.”
Buchhalter expressed appreciation to all the crews, teachers and volunteers that have helped in this year’s OPD5 Food Drive.
