Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SMS Seeks Volunteers for Unique Service Project
Twenty-two Tons of Sweet Potatoes Will be Used to Feed the Poor
Tappahannock, VA (April 17, 2001) - Volunteer groups from the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula have a unique opportunity for service when more than 90,000 sweet potatoes destined for distribution to the needy are dumped on the St. Margaret's School field this May 12. The aim of the "Potato Project," coordinated by SMS, is to package the potatoes in 10-pound bags for pick-up by local food banks.
Spuds for Sacking. Volunteers will sack approximately 90,000 sweet potatoes like these at St. Margaret's School on May 12. Community groups are invited to participate in the "Potato Project," which will benefit local food banks.
"There's never been anything like it around here," said SMS Community Service Coordinator Mollie Conklin. "We'll need about 30 four-person teams, so it's a terrific half-day project for youth and scout groups, as well as men's and women's clubs, church outreach committees and even local businesses."
Students from St. Margaret's already are supporting the effort by making 4,000 mesh potato bags and selling chips and T-shirts to help offset the costs of packaging and transportation. They and students from Christchurch School also have signed up to sack the spuds. But more volunteers are needed. Participants will enjoy music, refreshments and good-natured competitions to see who can tote the most taters.
Tons of Taters. A tractor-trailer like this one will deliver 45,000 pounds of sweet potatoes to Gilchrist Field at St. Margaret's School on May 12, where volunteers will sack the spuds for delivery to local food banks. Community groups are invited to participate in the "Potato Project."
For more information about how your group can participate, contact Conklin at 804-443-3357 or click here to send e-mail.
The Potato Project is sponsored by the Society of St. Andrew, an ecumenical ministry devoted to feeding the hungry by saving fresh produce that otherwise would go to waste. Because the Society only has to pay for transportation and packaging materials, it can feed the needy for about four cents a pound. Over the last several years, the 21-year-old organization has delivered a total of more than 260 million pounds of food to the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. In 1999 alone, it provided enough vegetables to feed 57 million people. For more information about the Society of St. Andrew, visit its web site at www.endhunger.org
