To the Editor:

The Helderberg Christian School, located in East Berne, held its semi-annual food drive in November as part of its missions outreach program. The school partnered with The Community Storehouse, the food pantry at Rock Road Chapel in Berne, to provide Thanksgiving meal baskets for those in need in the Hilltowns.

Rock Road Chapel provided the turkeys and the school provided all the trimmings for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Students and staff at the school collected food — potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, French fried onions, and mushroom soup — over a two-week period with a goal of reaching 250 items. With its 35 students and 10 staff members, the school surpassed its goal, collecting 321 items, bringing in 75 on one day alone.

Bud and Martha Davis, from The Community Storehouse, came to the school the week prior to Thanksgiving to pick up all the donations for the food-pantry distribution.  Martha Davis was thrilled to share that 29 families were given a Thanksgiving basket, including one family with nine children.

The Davises were extremely touched by the generous donations and giving spirit of the Helderberg Christian School students, staff, and families as the school and The Community Storehouse were working together in the true spirit of Christianity.

For more information about The Community Storehouse at Rock Road Chapel, go online to www.rockroadchapel.org, and for more information about Helderberg Christian School, visit www.helderbergchristianschool.org.

Tim Reed

Helderberg Christian School

Editor’s note: Tim Reed, a teacher at the Helderberg Christian School, said staff worked together to write this letter.