SADD works around pandemic to hold successful food drive

Posted

It’s a tradition unlike any other, but this year it was more important than ever.

So, in keeping with what Greg Russo called a “special season of giving,” Students Against Dangerous Decisions, or SADD, conducted its annual Food Drive to assist families in need during the holiday season.

“This has been a longstanding activity here at Johnston High School,” said Russo, who serves as the adviser for SADD and the Student Council and chairs the Chemistry Department. “Due to the pandemic, this year presented challenges to the group like never before.”

In years past, there was a competition between homerooms at JHS with the one bringing in the most food items earning an all-expense paid breakfast at a local restaurant. However, with an altered school schedule, Russo and SADD President Sarah Monahan had to come up with some new motivational methods.

They set up tables inside the Janice D. Mele Memorial Library and designated one each for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors where students could drop off nonperishable food items as they entered the school.

Monahan and Russo also came up with several other SADD firsts, one being the student that brought in the most food items would earn a cash bonus or gift card. They also decided that at conclusion of the drive they would draw several names at random for gifts from the class that brought in the most items.

Monahan, as Russo wanted it known, also created temperature gauges to chart the progress of each class.

Yet, as Russo pointed out, it was still a difficult challenge to meet the goals of previous years with the decreased number of students in school and the modified, hybrid class schedule.

Russo’s brother – Johnston Town Council President Robert V. Russo – came to the rescue and donated $500 to purchase gift cards and food items to supplement what students had raised.

“My brother is a proud JHS alum,” Greg Russo noted. “When there’s a special need, he’s always there.”

At graduation time, Robert Russo refused to let the COVID-19 crisis stand in the way of Senior T-Shirt Day when he sponsored a disc jockey and ice cream truck for members of the class of 2020 in the Johnston Municipal Court parking lot.

SADD also held a Dress Down Day for teachers on Nov. 20, and as Russo emphasized, “their generosity resulted in more [food] donations as well as money the kids used to purchase more non-perishable items.”

Even this year’s distribution was special, as SADD members filled boxes of food items they later delivered along with what may have been a record number of gift cards to Our Lady of Grace Church that were received, as Russo pointed out, with “gracious appreciation” by the Rev. Peter J. Gower, the pastor at the Roman Catholic parish.

“OLG will make up baskets to give to needy families in town,” Russo explained. “The SADD Food Drive is – and has been – a classic example of community caring by a group of special students and adults at JHS.”

As for competition, school spirit was running at an all-time high, and as Russo noted, “the sophomores staged quite the battle with the class of 2020” – but what he called “Senior Spirit” prevailed.

Russo also announced that when school resumes after Thanksgiving, the winning names will be drawn from the seniors who donated to the Food Drive.

He also announced the names of students who won on individual days – Skyler Stone, Melanie Vessella, Nick Petrillo, Ashlyn Bannon and Amanda Lefebvre.

“Special congratulations to our SADD President Sarah [Monahan],” Russo exclaimed. “She brought in the most food items overall proving once again her outstanding leadership abilities that have allowed SADD to achieve in our endeavors over the past two years with her as president.”

Russo also heaped words of praise upon Vessella, who serves as vice president, and Charlie Curci, secretary for SADD, for their special help each morning with the food collection and tallies. He also issued a special “thank you to my brother Robert for his endless support of SADD and his alma mater, in general.”

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here