Exeter Rotary Club donates $10,000 to food pantry
EXETER — The Exeter Rotary Club proudly presented Cleo Castonguay, President of the St. Vincent de Paul Community Assistance Center with a check for $10,000 representing the monetary equivalent of the food and donations raised during the club's first annual Stuff the Bus Food Drive on Feb. 23.
The Southern District YMCA donated three mini buses which were placed in front of four area grocery stores for the day. Customers of Market Basket and Shaw's of Stratham and Stop & Shop and On the Vine of Exeter filled buses with fresh fruits and vegetables along with milk, meat and condiments. Mark Owens, Market Basket store manager, kept his customers in the spirit by making fun and encouraging announcements on the store's loudspeaker throughout the event.
Just over 30 volunteers including Rotary Club members and their families, Vincentians and high school Interact Club members, kept the St. Vincent de Paul van on the move all day as it drove from store to store picking up a total of over 4,100 donated items.
"Seeing the gratitude from our community was overwhelming," said Rachael MacDonnell, Exeter Rotary event coordinator. "Meeting people who had been helped by St. Vincent's in the past that could now return the favor with carts filled with food was inspiring. Those that volunteered were uplifted with hope and are already looking forward to repeating this event next year."
St. Vincent de Paul is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is regularly in need of perishable donations. One percent milk, orange juice, eggs, cheese and yogurt can be dropped off at the center during regular business hours.
The Stuff the Bus event was planned in conjunction with other local Rotary Clubs as they celebrated World Peace and Understanding Day, marking the anniversary of the first Rotary meeting that was held in Chicago on Feb. 23, 1905. For information regarding The Exeter Rotary Club or to be placed on a mailing list for information about next year's "Stuff the Bus" event, please contact Ann Schieber, president, at (603) 770-2744 or event coordinator Rachael MacDonnell, branch manager of Optima Bank at (603) 773-5201.