Rotary holds community-wide food drive

Submitted by Lori Ruhlaman

The world was shut down at the height of the pandemic in the spring of 2020 when Andy Stevens first conceived of what is now the annual Skaneateles Rotary Club Food Drive.

A relatively new Rotarian, Stevens was looking for a service project that could make a difference without promoting too much face-to-face contact.

“We had a zoom meeting and were lamenting the pancake breakfast going away, and no in-person meetings,” he said. “I think there was a sense that people wanted to try and do something, even if it only was leaving some non-perishables on their porch.”

He was right.  The community response was tremendous, with people donating bags full of groceries and writing checks to the cause.

The experience highlighted the sometimes-unrecognized need of families in the area.

“The Spafford pantry estimated that last year, they provided what equals 35,000 plates of food. That’s fulfilling a definite need,” said Stevens.  The non-perishables and the checks are divided between the Spafford and Skaneateles Food Pantries.

Before collection day on May 4, Rotarians will deliver bags and directions to friends and neighbors throughout the area.

By the morning of May 4, residents will leave non-perishables on their porches, to be picked up by 9:30 a.m.

Stevens said the one-day drive is efficient, given the years of experience now.

“Many hands make light work,” he said, mentioning the work done by other Rotarians and community members.  “Without Ed Evans hosting and using his trailer and garage as a staging area, the project would be considerably more difficult.”

The drive itself gives Rotarians an outlet to practice our motto of “Service Above Self” and to enjoy working together on a worthy cause.

“Last year, an impromptu table tennis tournament broke out in the back of Ed’s garage during food sorting,” Stevens said.

The Skaneateles Rotary Club and Scout Troop 61 will hold a community-wide drive to replenish the Skaneateles and Spafford food pantries on May 4.

Rotarians will collect food from front porches of neighbors by 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 4.

To arrange for a home pickup, if not already contacted by a Rotarian, contact Rotarian Andy Stevens at 607-351-7906 or 831stevens@gmail.com .

In addition, contributions may be dropped off during the week of April 29 to May 3 at Delmonico Insurance, 11 Fennell St., or the chamber of commerce.

“These pantries provide food used in tens of thousands of meals per year, fulfilling a great need in our community,” Stevens said.

And non-perishable groceries are appreciated, but these are top requests:

● Canned fruit (e.g., pears, peaches, oranges, apples, pineapple)

● Fruit juices – apple, grape, cranberry (100% juice if possible)

● Granola

● Crackers

● Jams and jellies

● Flavored rice – Knorr

● Laundry detergent

● Personal hygiene items

● Paper towels

● Kitchen and/or bathroom cleaning products

● Reusable bags

Monetary donations are also welcome, with all proceeds passed directly through to the pantries. We accept Venmo online at https://skaneatelesrotary.com/donate or by check to “Skaneateles Rotary Foundation” with “Food Bank” in the memo field and mailed to Skaneateles Rotary Club, P.O. Box 316, Skaneateles, NY 13152.