Hornets Market food pantry gives opportunity to those in need

By Neal Hogden

Central Wisconsinites will have another way to receive free food items as the School District of Colby is housing the Hornets Market Food Pantry.

The pantry was created in part by the Feed My People organization in Eau Claire. This program has been going for over 40 years and approached Colby High School Principal Steve Wozniak with the opportunity for starting a food bank at the school.

Wozniak knew he wouldn’t have time to run the bank but successfully delegated the duties to Debbie Roth, a study hall advisor at the school. Roth said she was more than willing to take over the responsibility.

“[Wozniak] asked me if I would be willing to volunteer and run the program,” Roth said. “I said, ‘It’s right up my alley,’ because I love the giving and caring aspect of it. So I said yes.”

The program quickly came together as a room used traditionally as a dressing room for theater productions was dedicated to the cause. Roth said they needed shelves, a freezer and refrigerator to get started.

Roth said Baumgartner’s Lumber and Materials donated the lumber for the shelving in the pantry and said other local businesses were very helpful in getting the pantry started and donating time, money and food to the cause.

Roth said she knew Colby would band together to provide a healthy amount of items for the pantry but never expected what kind of support she would receive.

“What has really picked up has been the contributions,” Roth said. “It hit the public and this community is so grateful that I’ve got people calling me. I have organizations, companies, individuals, employees of the district and not just people from Colby calling me. I have donations of cash, vouchers, donations of food – it’s unbelievable.”

She said she has tried to help everyone she can no matter the timeline or the situation.

“I built a website. On the website, people may sign up and put their orders in. We have set times and dates because we never know out schedule at school but we will go and accommodate others,” Roth said. “We do have some timelines but if there’s a family that has a need, I’ll go shopping right this minute and I’ll go in the room and I’ll bag it and get it out to them.”

See HORNETS MARKET/ Page 16

DONATIONS COMING IN - Colby Senior Care and Colby Metal were one of the many donors who were quick to help stock the Hornets Market Food Pantry full of items after it was introduced.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Hornets Market

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Roth said the distribution of the food can be totally confidential. People can have their kids take home food items if there aren’t many that need to be picked up, otherwise parents can pick up food at set times when hallways are clear of students.

“We want everything to be confidential,” Roth said. “If there’s a need, we want them to eat.”

Roth said the pantry doubles as an opportunity for those who need food but also a learning experience for students. Roth said special education resource students will go in with one of the instructors and bag orders that Roth has taken. She said the experience those kids get in real life scenarios have been valuable.

“They’re getting life skills. They’re also learning how to help other people.”

Roth said the first couple weeks have been a little overwhelming but exciting at the same time as she’s had the pleasure of helping people from multiple communities. She said the application is in English and Spanish so that has helped reach a community that otherwise might not be privy to donations.

“The pantry is small right now but it’s coming,” Roth said.

Roth said she has 60 frozen pizzas that have just arrived and said she is expecting to get more for Christmas. That is just an example of the kindness that has been on display and the willingness of people in central Wisconsin to give to causes like these.

The pantry is currently available to sign up for at www.colby.k12.wi.us/community/ hornets-market-food-pantry.cfm.

The website will explain how the pantry works and has a sign-up form with what items are desired.

If questions arise, contact Debbie Roth at droth@colby.k12.wi.us or call 715-2232338 Ext. 5156 and ask for Debbie Roth.