Boo Hunger drive brings in 4,500 pounds of food

Donations support Food Bank’s Thanksgiving baskets

Sequim High School’s Leadership students continued the initiative on Halloween to scare hunger away with the “Boo Hunger” food drive.

This year they brought in about 4,500 pounds of food, said Sequim Food Bank volunteer Stephen Rosales.

Sequim High junior JoNell Hill, 16, led the annual food drive where more than 100 students delivered hundreds of paper bags to front doors and mailboxes earlier in October in and around Sequim, from the Dungeness Spit to Sunland to the John Wayne Marina and Agnew.

Students and food bank volunteers collected bags with non-perishable items such as peanut butter, tuna fish, macaroni and cheese and more on Oct. 29.

Hill, who serves as the student liaison between the high school and food bank, said she shadowed Rosales’ daughter Ashley last year with the intent of leading it this year.

“(I like that) it connects me more with the community,” she said. “Going door-to-door, I got to tell some people about it.”

Volunteers with Trinity United Methodist Church sorted the donations on Halloween morning. Rosales said the high school’s Leadership class has led the drive for more than 10 years.

Donations will help with upcoming Thanksgiving baskets. Those will be distributed from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, and Saturday, Nov. 23, and from noon-4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25.

For more information, contact the Sequim Food Bank at 360-683-1205, sequimfoodbank@olypen.com or visit www.sequimfoodbank.org.

Nancy Bolen with Trinity United Methodist Church helps fellow church members sort food for the Boo Hunger food drive on Halloween morning. She and many other volunteers made quick work of sorting non-perishable foods like peanut butter.

Nancy Bolen with Trinity United Methodist Church helps fellow church members sort food for the Boo Hunger food drive on Halloween morning. She and many other volunteers made quick work of sorting non-perishable foods like peanut butter.

After volunteering last year, JoNell Hill knew she wanted to lead the Boo Hunger food drive this year. “(I like that) it connects me more with the community,” she said. “Going door-to-door, I got to tell some people about it.” Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

After volunteering last year, JoNell Hill knew she wanted to lead the Boo Hunger food drive this year. “(I like that) it connects me more with the community,” she said. “Going door-to-door, I got to tell some people about it.” Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash