Lake Ridge rotary collects over 1,600 pounds of food

Some Prince William County residents are part of the millions of people that need food to get through this holiday season.

On Saturday, November 21, Lake Ridge Rotary did its annual “Done-In-A-Day” food drive outside of a Safeway grocery store at Tackett’s Mill in Lake ridge, ACTS, and Lake Ridge Fellowship House be part of the solution.

Over a dozen civic group members donned masks and gloves to safely pass out shopping lists with requested items to shoppers who went into the store throughout the day. Items included canned vegetables, canned tuna, soups as well as hygiene items like toothpaste and deodorant.

Shoppers could deposit their items on two large tables covered with Rotary table clothes on their way out. Multiple individuals gave cash, which was used to buy more expensive items like denture adhesive.

The day started at 9:30 a.m. with two empty tables, but as the day wore on, individuals would bring both small and large donations to members to place on the table. At the end of the day, a tower of donated items stooks on the tables.

According to former Club President Allen McBride, over 1,600 pounds of food and hygiene items were collected — twice as much as was collected last year. Over $200 was collected as well to help purchase needed items.

“We have all been cooped up for a long time, and there is a lot of need out there, so it just feels good to give back,” said Lake Ridge Rotarian Diana Gulotta, who donated groceries to the effort.

Half of the donations went to the food pantry at the Lake Ridge Fellowship House, a subsidized senior living community for low-income seniors, located right next to Tackett’s Mill shopping center. The other half of the collection was donated to Action in the Community Through Service (ACTS), a local non-profit located in Dumfries. According to ACTS, they have been distributing, on average, around 60,000 pounds of food per month during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Thank you to all of the residents who donated to our food drive. The community really showed up to support those in need.  I am proud of our Rotary Club members giving of their time to help make Done-In-A-Day a huge success,” said Lake Ridge Rotary Club President Ben Hazekamp.

Lake Ridge Rotary was founded in 1988 and is part of the Club of Rotary International, which has a global network of 1.2 million members who work to unite people to make lasting change.

Lake Ridge Rotary has several annual service projects, which include Done-In-A-Day, bell ringing for the Salvation Army, and putting up flags near the McCoart complex. The Club meets weekly on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 a.m. in person at Tall Oaks Community Center, located at 12298 Cotton Mill Drive, and virtually on Zoom.