DUBOIS – Students in Kyle Gordon’s gifted program at the DuBois Area High School recently volunteered with a local mobile food pantry at Wasson Elementary School.
Gordon and his wife have been facilitating this food pantry for almost three years and started this venture when Gordon was an affiliate staff member at Penn State DuBois.
This food distribution takes place once monthly and is based out of the Second Harvest Food Bank, located in Erie. Part of Gordon’s teaching philosophy with gifted students and working in career services is exposing them to needs in the community and then challenging them to use their gifts and talents to meet those needs or to meet the needs more efficiently.
Each month he arranges one service opportunity and then challenges his students to come up with their own service projects along the way. The food pantry typically serves approximately 100 families in the community.
The Rev. Sam Bundy of the Reynoldsville Alliance Church and who is a regular volunteer said it was great to have students there to help. “I really think the students got a lot out of it,” he commented.
The students expressed appreciation for being able to help the community. They also expressed interest in volunteering with the food distribution in future.
“It was quite an eye opener to how many people are in need in our community…it was unbelievable. It was really cold and so many of them had little kids, too. It was awesome to help contribute to it and to be a part of it,” said sophomore Cassie Folmar.
If you have a community service project or idea, please contact Gordon at 814-371-8111, Ext. 1238.
