By Kate Kimmel
More than 320 community members packed into the Atlantic Recreation Center on Saturday morning for the Rotary Club’s annual Hunger Fight event, assembling more than 49,000 meals in less than two hours.
Long before the event officially began at 9:30 a.m., a line of volunteers stretched out the door of the recreation center, eager to grab hairnets and take their places at the tables inside. By the time Reverend Bernard Thompson delivered an invocation and Rotary Club member Pete Stevenson offered words of encouragement, every table in the auditorium was full.
Volunteers worked assembly-line style at rows of tables squeezed into the space, each one moving at a steady pace. Hunger Fight staff circulated through the room, keeping an eye on supplies and making sure the operation ran smoothly.
“During these Hunger Fight events, in such a short period of time, we make such a huge impact on our community,” one Rotary Club member said.
Participants included parishioners from local churches, members of the American Legion, Barnabas representatives and other community groups. Music played over a large speaker as volunteers packed meal kits, some swaying or dancing as they worked.
Two types of meal kits were assembled: “cheezy mac” and “red roni.” Each kit includes elbow macaroni and a sauce packet fortified with vitamins and other essential nutrients. Suggested protein additions — such as canned tuna or ground beef — are printed on the back of the packages along with cooking instructions.
Every time a box was filled, a volunteer rang a cowbell, signaling that it was ready to be collected. Not long after packing began, the steady rhythm of bells echoed through the room every few seconds as boxes piled up.
The completed meal kits will be processed at Hunger Fight’s headquarters in Jacksonville before being delivered to Barnabas for distribution.
