Lc Students Learn New Trick

Sat., April 15, 2000

Christine Benedetti Our Generation

For younger children Halloween is always one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. As they grow older, the event becomes less exciting, perhaps because homeowners won’t give candy to “the big kids.”

So, last year, the big kids at Lewis and Clark High School decided to try a new approach to Halloween by trick or treating for canned food for the Spokane Food Bank.

Decked out in our favorite orange and black apparel, about 40 students set out over the South Hill to fill our sacks with non-perishable food items. By separating into groups with designated sectors, we covered most major neighborhoods.

There were even a few adventurous students who chose to trespass out of bounds into Ferris High School territory, but even there they were greeted with much enthusiasm.

For the most part, homeowners were delighted by this idea and were truly pleased to see positive work on the night of “witching.”

So, just as little kids return home at the end of the night for hot chocolate and to count their haul, we the big kids checked back in at headquarters to assess our inventory. It was so neat to see how many students had worked together for this, and when we all met again it was truly visible how much of a difference we had made. We worked hard to transfer all the food into cars, and when we were done loading the food, there were two SUVs brimming with items for the food bank.

The next morning about 10 students delivered our treats to the Spokane Food Bank and when the totals came out we had collected more than 2,500 pounds of food.

Although not a traditional form of community service, the process of trick of treating for canned food had the same outcome - helping those less fortunate than us. By placing ourselves within the community, we branched out and let people know that teens can have a positive impact on society.

Now, Lewis and Clark students can hardly wait until Halloween to see just how many students will get involved this year. It just goes to show that a small idea and a lot of heart can go a long way.

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