KAIT-Jonesboro, AR-News, weather, sports, classifiedsElementary school kids donated items in Hunger Hero Program

Elementary school kids donated items in Hunger Hero Program

Posted: Updated:
By Keith Boles, Video Journalist - email

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • Arkansas primary results - national, statewide, and from each county around Region 8.
    Arkansas primary races results - national, statewide, and from each county around Region 8.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 9:42 AM EDT2012-05-22 13:42:35 GMT
    ST. PETERS, Mo. (AP) - Authorities in St. Charles County say a 3-year-old girl may have been alone in an apartment with her dead mother for up to four days. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/Kb8lIO
    Authorities in St. Charles County say a 3-year-old girl may have been alone in an apartment with her dead mother for up to four days.

  • Wednesday, May 23 2012 10:01 AM EDT2012-05-23 14:01:20 GMT
    A disturbing surveillance video of a father placing his baby in a washing machine and turning it on is making the rounds on the internet.
    Officials from Camden, NJ are looking to identify and speak to the parents who put their baby in a washing machine at a laundromat.

  • Wednesday, May 23 2012 5:23 AM EDT2012-05-23 09:23:04 GMT
    STEELE, MO (KAIT) – Police have arrested a man they say robbed three women and then barricaded himself inside a home for over 3 hours. According to the Steele Police Department, officers were called to
    According to the Steele Police Department, officers were called to the corner of Highway 164 and Main Street on a robbery call. When police arrived three women told officers they were robbed by a man, and that he stole their car.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 2:57 PM EDT2012-05-22 18:57:43 GMT
    LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Arkansas state auditor is auctioning off more unclaimed property on eBay. Auditor Charlie Daniels says the state's latest eBay auction will be held Friday at 10 a.m. The auction
    Auditor Charlie Daniels says the state's latest eBay auction will be held Friday at 10 a.m. The auction will be open for seven days and is available for any eBay user, except for employees of the auditor's office and their families.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 2:53 PM EDT2012-05-22 18:53:25 GMT
    ST. LOUIS (AP) - A St. Louis woman is facing federal indictment for allegedly forcing two other women into prostitution. Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that 26-year-old Carla Mathews was indicted earlier
    Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that 26-year-old Carla Mathews was indicted earlier this month on three felony counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Mathews does not yet have a listed attorney.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 2:54 PM EDT2012-05-22 18:54:03 GMT
    (RNN) - A U.S. Airways plane from Paris to Charlotte, NC, was diverted to Bangor, ME, because of a security threat.The plane is a Boeing 767. Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
    A Cameroon woman was pulled from an American jetliner and arrested after presenting a note to a flight attendant saying she had a "device" surgically implanted inside her.

  • Wednesday, May 23 2012 5:22 AM EDT2012-05-23 09:22:36 GMT
    JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – Jonesboro Police are investigating a mobile meth lab found in an apartment complex's garbage dumpster. According to Jonesboro Police, around 9:30 this morning a Sanitation Department
    According to Jonesboro Police, around 9:30 this morning a Sanitation Department employee found some suspicious items at the dumpster for the University Apartments on Stallings Road and Stone Street.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 10:59 PM EDT2012-05-23 02:59:16 GMT
    Candidates for Arkansas' only Democrat-held U.S. House seat are hoping to win their parties' nominations outright as voters cast ballots in the state's primary.
    Establishment picks for congressional seats in southern and eastern Arkansas struggled in Tuesday's primary, as underfunded candidates relied on name recognition and grass-roots organization.

  • Monday, May 21 2012 3:23 PM EDT2012-05-21 19:23:28 GMT
    GRUBBS, AR (KAIT) – The Jackson County Sheriff's Department is investigating a body found Monday morning in Grubbs. According to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, a decomposing body was found around
    According to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, a decomposing body was found around 9:45a Monday morning lying in a ditch. Police have identified the body was 46-year-old James Eugene Moore.

MAMMOTH SPRING, AR (KAIT) - One of the smallest schools in Region 8 responded in the biggest way to help those who are hungry this holiday season.

Food drives this year are especially important. 5 elementary schools have joined up with their communities and K Kountry 95 radio in Thayer to be "Hunger Heroes."

Today I went to Mammoth Spring Elementary school to watch them load up the trucks.

Mammoth Spring Elementary school principal Wade Powell watched as High School FFA and East Lab students rolled out carts of canned and dry food and loaded them onto a truck from Hirsch Seed.

I asked Powell if he was surprised at the amount gathered.

"We always have good participation in any fund raising event and anything like this that we do. Not surprised totally but somewhat surprised at the extent. "

More than Six Thousand food items were donated at Mammoth Spring for their food pantry. The other schools at Alton, Couch, Koshkonong and Thayer contributed another 6 Thousand for the Oregon County food pantry.

And they must be teaching something right at the schools. One whole trailer load was donated by the smallest and the youngest students at the elementary school.

Ms. Smoots and Mrs. Turnbough's classes of pre-schoolers gathered up over 2 Thousand food items.

Ms. Smoot said the families and the students really got into the spirit of giving.

Smoot, "We had a unit this month on giving. And I think they understood the concept that other people need things and that was the purpose of it."

As a reward the class that gathered in the most received a Subway party.

Smoot, "Our class paid forward their party and gave it to the second place classroom which is a second grade classroom. Now two classes will get parties."

There was so much gathered in that the food pantry in Mammoth Spring couldn't store it all in their small building. The food was divided up in a couple of places for sorting until it was needed. Jennifer Crowe one of the food pantry coordinators said this is a good problem to have.

Crowe, "Last year they collected 2 Thousand items of food so that is what we had in mind. So when they told us it was over 6 Thousand items we we had to find some place to sort it and then get it out to the pantry."

Crowe said the pantry has been in place since 2007 and there has been a steadily growing need in the area.

Crowe, "And we see our numbers increase every month. Last month we had 64 families that's the most we've ever had. We are anticipating 75 families by mid summer."

Crowe said the food gathered with this month long food drive should last well into the year ahead.

Crowe, "We have distribution next Monday and a lot of this food will go out and that will make a lot of families happy."

You can still make food contributions up till Christmas Eve at the Subway in Thayer or Mountain View and at Hirsch Feed and Farm Supply in Thayer.

Copyright 2011 KAIT. All rights reserved.

  • More Region 8 News ...More REGION 8 Headlines

  • Wednesday, May 23 2012 6:59 PM EDT2012-05-23 22:59:48 GMT
    JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – The three men accused in the shooting death of Marc Despain appeared before a Craighead County Judge Wednesday afternoon. According to the Craighead County Prosecutor's Office,
    NEW INFORMATION: According to Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington, Michelle Despain was arrested and charged with capital murder in the shooting death of her husband Marc Despain. She was taken into custody around 1:30 Wednesday afternoon.

  • BREAKING NEWS

    Wednesday, May 23 2012 6:58 PM EDT2012-05-23 22:58:23 GMT
    GREENE COUNTY, AR (KAIT) – Emergency crews are working to find the location of an airplane collision in Greene County. According to the Craighead County Sheriff's Department, two planes have collided
    NEW INFORMATION: Greene County Sheriff Dan Langston says one plane was flying south to north when the propeller clipped the wing of the plane going east to west. The pilot in the plane going south to north was killed in the accident. The other pilot was airlifted the Med in Memphis. His condition is unknown, and no names are being released at this time.

  • Wednesday, May 23 2012 5:44 PM EDT2012-05-23 21:44:41 GMT
    JEFFERSON CITY, MO (AP) - A fraternity at the University of Missouri-Columbia is removing a Republican campaign banner after concerns were raised by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's communications director. Republican
    A fraternity at the University of Missouri-Columbia is removing a Republican campaign banner after concerns were raised by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's communications director.