CC athletes replenish food bank

The holidays came early last week at the local Panhandle Community Services office when the Clarendon College Bulldog baseball and men’s basketball teams delivered a surprise.

Fifty-one student athletes conducted a canned food drive on November 12, and the people of Clarendon responded in a big way. The result was a van and a pickup both full of sacks and boxes of food to replenish the PCS food pantry, shocking PCS director Marchia Campbell.

“It was like Christmas for me,” Campbell said. “I didn’t even know they were doing it, and when the coaches showed up I was just totally surprised. This is awesome!”

Campbell had to have some volunteers help her sort through the food, which covered four long tables and fully stocked much of the food pantry, especially with soups, peas, and corn.

“I really appreciate what the college did and want to say ‘thank you’ to the teams and the whole community for coming together on this,” Campbell said.

PCS is seeing a bigger need for its services this year even as it deals with funding cuts and low inventories at the High Plains Food Bank.

“A lot of people are hurting,” Campbell said. “We’ve got people who depend on bringing in cotton and peanuts for their jobs, and the crop failures this year are hurting them.”

Six families came to PCS for assistance last Wednesday alone, Campbell said, and she expects more. She said there is still a need for people to make donations to the food pantry, especially any types of canned meats or canned meals with meat, such as beef stew or chicken and dumplings.

The office is closed for Thanksgiving this week, but will re-open Monday, November 28, to offer assistance and take donations. Food donations can also be left at Lowe’s Family Center.

Campbell said one bright spot this season is that PCS has secured additional funding to help new clients with their utility bills.

“I want to pay some bills, and all the PCS offices are in a competition to see which one can pay the most utility bills,” she said.