Seven 6th-grade students of Eastern Elementary Student Council served up hamburgers and hot dogs, chips and more May 6 at the nonprofit People Helping People of North Central Ohio pavilion at 73 Bowman St. between Third and Fourth streets.
Meals are volunteer-driven and provided by local organizations, factories, companies and churches on certain days, according to the organization, which serves meals around 11 a.m. 365 days a year.
Mark Ellis of People to People said between 80-100 people come this time of year every day for food.
“When school gets out, it’s more like 125,” he said.
Anyone in need of a meal can come to the pavilion, he said. On Easter and Christmas, everyone receives a full meal.
The Lexington school Student Council has participated in serving a meal at the pavilion for about seven or eight years, said Katie Rogers, who is the Student Council advisor at Eastern Elementary School.
“We brought burgers and hot dogs and chips, cookies, condiments and water,” she said, as she watched students interact with people coming through the line.
“We like to do this once a year, come serve a meal for those in need,” Rogers said. The 11- and 12-year-old students served the meal, the fourth graders decorated our bags and the fifth and 6th graders helped wrap and put together sandwiches,” she said. Rogers said the cafeteria staff helped too.
Intermediate Assistant Principal Stacy Davis was proud of students, who looked forward to coming to the pavilion to serve food.
Walter Bowman, who lives on Sixth Street, said he really appreciates the food and the kids coming to help everyone.
Students, including a student named Park (the school staff asked that no last names be used), said he likes helping people as he handed out cheese slices for the burgers.
“A lot of people just don’t have food, so it’s nice to give them something to eat,” he said.
Another classmate said a lot of people can’t get food for themselves. Helping out Park was Aanya, Youseef, Lilly, Benjamin, Caiden and Evie.
“It’s really something special to come out here and do this,” he said, offering water bottles to people.
Contact Lou Whitmire at 419-521-7223. She can be reached at X at @lwhitmir.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Eastern Elementary students serve meals to hungry
Reporting by Lou Whitmire, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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