Okay students band together to fill food pantry shelves

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·3 min read

Nov. 27—Okay High School Sophomore Alex Granger couldn't recall exactly how many cans he helped collect for the school's food drive earlier this month.

"We collected so many that we didn't count how many we had," Granger said. "There were tubs and boxes full of cans."

During a one-week drive, Okay High School students collected nearly 700 items for Okay First Baptist Church's Manna House food pantry.

"It felt really good knowing I'm giving back to my community and families that are in need, with holidays coming up, especially," Granger said. "It felt inspirational to show that the small school of Okay can raise that many cans, all the kids came together and brought all these cans, worked together and brought them out to the truck to get them to the food bank here in Okay."

First Baptist Pastor Kenneth Krepps said the food donations were a big boost. Okay Women's Helping Hands also gave a sizable donation recently, he said.

"Our shelves were getting bare until the women's group, and then the school," Krepps said. "A church member has donated quite a bit, Our shelves are beginning to get full again."

April Anderson of Okay Women's Helping Hands said the group donated about $200 in canned food to Manna House.

Krepps said the church has always had a good relationship with the school.

Okay High School Principal Mark Hayes said the school had heard the food bank was having problems.

"We had a staff meeting and Mr. Thornton suggested having a food drive," Hayes said, referring to social studies teacher Blake Thornton.

"It kind of grew from there," Hayes said. "We were glad to be able to take those items and help out the community."

Thornton said he got each homeroom class to join in a friendly competition.

"Several weeks ago we wanted to help the community after COVID hit," he said. "I asked some of the teachers if they could have a canned food drive. We split our homeroom into teams, whoever collected the most goods, the winner would pie the losing team."

He said collection began a little slowly at first, "but we ended up raising 600 or 700 items."

"We were going to be happy as many as we could get, and 700 far exceeded our expectations," he said.

Thornton said the collection meant a lot for the students.

"They wanted to go ahead be able to help out those who are in need during the holidays," he said. "They were glad to help out and get a prize at the end."

Hayes said one team collected 247 items and another collected 310.

"They each took a pie to the face out of good sportsmanship," he said.

The community stepped up to help with the drive, Hayes said.

"It says what I've known for a while — it says that our people will step up to help each other. We see a need," he said. "The school is part of the community. It doesn't matter if it's a food pantry, or a family in need or a project that needs to be done. I've seen from time to time where they have stepped up. We helped each other out. Really neat and really positive."