By Nora Marsh
Stuff the Bus was a three week long fundraiser, collecting food for the people in our community that are less fortunate. It was started in 2016 by Krista Campbell, advisor, Alison Cesare, advisor and the students who started the Knights Order.
It was started due to the club being new and they needed something great to help our community. They knew it was perfect cause they knew there were families that needed help and didn't get the proper care.
The three weeks before Thanksgiving Character Ed. students collect at the bus in the morning and afternoon. They collect with signs, megaphones and even with a turkey costume.
Photo Courtesy of Krista Campbell
Students unloading food from Jenn Katz’s Van with over 500 items donated by Pack 34.
Once the 3 week long period of collecting food is over the students that have helped out during stuff the bus and before in the club are invited to “Unstuff the Bus.”
At unstuff the bus those students take all the items off the bus that was just previously loaded over the three weeks.
This year was one of the best by far, it was the record total at 13,685 items for 72 different families. These families are anywhere from three people to more than twelve.
Campbell has been the advisor since it started, she loves the whole process but her favorite part is when everything has been taken off the bus and she is able to see the impact we have made. She also loves everyone outside of the bus yelling at anyone passing by in the morning and afternoon when collecting.
Campbell means so much to this program, she has been the guiding light in the whole process and cares about everyone helping and that is helped. She loves watching the community coming together.
Carlena Alfred is the bus manager, she was the assistant manager her sophomore year and the manager my junior and senior year.
Being the manager she makes sure all the food is counted for and all the volunteers are on task. Being the manager is my favorite thing she has done all through high school having such an impact on so many people in our community just knowing they all have food so they can focus on their family makes her so happy.
Her favorite part of the bus is seeing the joy on peoples faces when we give them their food.
Emma Schollhammer, PAHS junior, helped stuff and unstuff the bus. She loves how everyone looks forward to donating every year and loves seeing the community come together. She believes all the work that is put into it was to see all the families come and collect their food.