Peekskill High School's Interact Club "Stuff-A-Truck" for Charity

Editor's Note: The following was submitted by the Peekskill school district. If you would like to post your news to Patch, click here.

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Members of Peekskill High School’s Interact Club spent last Friday afternoon packing a flat-bed truck with the donations they collected from their district-wide food drive. The “Stuff-A-Truck” event was the culmination of the group‘s efforts to win the $5,000 grand prize from MSG Varsity/Cablevision’s Charity Champions contest, which concludes this month.

“We hope we win and we’re excited about our chances,” said Peekskill High School teacher, George Goess, who is one of the advisors for the club. “Our approach to the contest was to do something different instead of just raising money. We wanted to do something practical to help the community, and where the people receiving our items would be able to use them immediately.”

The Interact club members were aided on Friday by members of Peekskill’s Girls’ Basketball, Varsity Football and Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse teams, who also came by after school to help carry over 15 boxes of non-perishable food items and baby formula from the high school to the truck waiting outside.

"The turn-out from the food drive was tremendous,” Goess said. “We were able to complete our goal of stuffing an entire truck.” 

Goess noted that Ms. Delmonico’s third grade class at Oakside Elementry had each student donate at least one canned good, and that the Peekskill High School Boys’ Lacrosse team also had each player bring in at least one item, which helped the drive greatly.  

Once packed, the donated goods were driven to the local Salvation Army for drop off. The Interact Club selected the Salvation Army as their charity to work with throughout the duration of the Charity Champions contest, and have been visiting the organization’s soup kitchen the first Saturday of each month to help serve lunch to the Peekskill community. According to Goess, the club has been working with the local Salvation Army for over a decade. Back in February the Interact Club also accepted a $1,000 check from MSG Varsity/Cablevision on behalf of the Salvation Army for their participation in the Charity Champions contest.

“It makes me feel good to know that we’re helping out the community,” said Peekskill High School junior and Interact Club member, Aaron Cataquet. “It also shows people what good things our school can do.”

“The club members were involved every step of the way,” Goess said. “They’ve been great throughout the whole process and it’s been a fulfilling experience for them.”