The Meridian Optimist Club has been hosting a food drive at Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember.The club asks Meridian schools to donate canned goods and non-perishable items and then Optimist Club members spend the day collecting, sorting, and packing the food for redistribution. I've heard President Kim Bowers say that it is one of her favorite projects and I can certainly understand why.
This year, with the help of member Tom McKinstrey, the club collected an entire box van full of goods. Club secretary/treasurer Bill Garcia commented that the pictures don't really do justice to the magnitude of the collections.
In addition to all of the supplies collected, the Meridian Optimist Club purchases turkey and milk and adds bread and potatoes, courtesy of Rick's Press Room, so that the families that receive the donations may have a nice Thankgsgiving meal.
And there are plenty of canned goods left over to supplement their future meals. This year, the Meridian Optimist Club served more than 20 families with each receiving four or five boxes stocked full.
Additionally, over 3,000 pounds of food was given to the Meridian Food Bank.
Please join me in congratulating the Meridian Optimist Club on a job well done.
May you and your family enjoy the blessings of this Thanksgiving Day.
