South School food drive exceeds goals
Published on November 26th, 2003
STONEHAM, MA - In the true spirit of giving, goodwill and food that has been the hallmark of the Thanksgiving Holiday, the South School community got together last week to donate 38 baskets of food to local charities.
According to the Chairman of the South School Community Outreach Committee Ed Alberti, the food basket drive has grown enormously over the last year.
"This is the first year that I've taken it over and everybody has just been so great," said Alberti, a South School parent who has a pair of sons (Michael age 9, and Matthew age 6) at the elementary school. "Last year we did about 15 baskets to the three different charities, and this year we were up to 38. They were all so happy, and each got about 12 baskets."
"The school really came through," added Alberti. "The kids came through and did a great job."
The idea for the drive began to catch steam at the beginning of November, and, by the middle of the second week, boxed and canned food began streaming in from students, faculty, staff and other parents. Each class had a basket that had become an overflowing cornucopia of Turkey Day generosity by the end of last week.
Alberti, along with a group of students, parents and South School Principal Nick Leonardos gathered on Friday to load the baskets into vehicles and send them off to the local charities. According to Leonardos, parents Stephanie Chiappini and Andrea Gustin were also instrumental in the philanthropic effort.
"It was something that we had success with last year, but we really exceeded all expectations this year," said Leonardos. "We were joking around and trying to come up with a guestimate of how much food was donated, and we thought it to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 lbs."
Leonardos estimated that each basket held between 25-30 lbs. of canned and boxed goods.
The food was loaded into cars driven by Alberti and Paul Gallagher, and delivered to Tri-Cap Headstart, Holiday Helpers at St. Pat's Convent, and Dorcas Community Services.
Getting involved was simply the byproduct of a neighborly conversation for Alberti.
"Lisa Gallagher (Co-President of the South School PTO) is my neighbor, and we were talking and she mentioned the new community outreach program she was starting, and I volunteered to be the chairperson and give it a shot," said Alberti. "So far it has panned out pretty well."
"My kids go to school at South and I coach soccer," added Alberti. "I just like to get involved and help out. I'm an outgoing person, ya know."
Alberti was joined on the committee by parents Alison Riley and Lisa Palermo, and will begin another holiday drive after digesting his Thanksgiving turkey this week.
The South School will begin a Toys for Tots Drive with the US Marines in December for the very first time at the South School. The active parent was so impressed by the effort behind the food drive at South, that he is looking forward to bringing together the community for another great cause next month.
"I wanted to try it this year, and thought it might be a good idea," said Alberti.
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