Many may go without food this Thanksgiving, but the West Side is one place where Reitz students are trying to meet the need.

Reitz’ annual food drive was held this past month, spanning from the week of Halloween until November 16.

Homerooms were encouraged to bring cans and cash donations to help populate Thanksgiving baskets for the needy of the West Side community.

Student Council members received service points for every donation they made, and the homerooms receive “feathers” for their canned good and cash contributions. The two homerooms with the most feathers, from donations and cash donations (respectively), will receive doughnut parties.

This contest has had a similar outcome over the past several years, with Mr. Brinkmeyer’s homeroom teacher consistently dominating the competition. Upping the ante by bringing in cans before the drive actually begins, Brink’s students bring in a quantity other homerooms have yet to match.

Without Mr. Brinkmeyer’s homeroom, I don’t know if we’d even have a food drive,” said Mrs. Cobb on the vastness of Brinkmeyer’s homeroom’s donations.

With 45 baskets in all, Reitz had plenty of work to do to ensure the need within the neighborhood was met, and that everyone who needed assistance was identified.

“A lot of the people know this is what we do every year,” said Mrs. Cobb, who is helping with the Student Council this year with Mrs. Hale. “Sometimes we just call the parents of students [we recognize are in need.]”

The cash proceeds were used to buy turkeys and produce to accompany the canned goods, among other expenses, as the baskets “cost about $1000 to put together,” stated Mrs. Cobb.

Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Meyer, and Mrs. Cobb herself worked ceaselessly after donations were collected to for the baskets and make sure they were ready for distribution. The baskets will be delivered by student volunteers on November 23.

Providing that the baskets are filled and more food is left over, the Student Council plans to donate the surplus to the food bank at the local Salvation Army.