Thanksgiving started early at one Rutherford County school, as students, faculty and staff came together to serve hundreds in the community a special meal.
La Vergne Middle School hosted Project Feed for the 5th year. The project was started by Principal Cary Holman with a goal of ensuring everyone in the community can enjoy a hot Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
“This is our way of reaching out to the community and building community relations,” said Holman.
It takes weeks and the entire school and community to make the meal a reality. The school hosted a food drive for two weeks to collect all the necessary food. Each grade level was assigned to a different item.
Clubs and athletic teams provided the ham and turkeys, community businesses donated food, and school employees made the dressing and desserts.
A total of 700 people were expected to enjoy the meal in the La Vergne Middle School cafeteria. The meal was free and available to anyone in the community. Teachers helped out serving the food.
“This is awesome,” said Valencia Staten, a teacher at La Vergne Middle School. “This is a great way to build relationships with the community and get parents and the community involved in public education.”
Students helped ensure every guest enjoyed the experience, and also handed out free canned good to people as they left.
“I think it’s cool,” said Justice Dudley, an 8th grader at La Vergne Middle School. “I’ve never been a part of something like this before.”
“Kids want to volunteer,” said Holman. “It gives them a sense of pride for their school, and a sense of pride for themselves.”
The event has become so successful, other Rutherford County schools have considered hosting similar events. Some former La Vergne Middle School students are in the process of trying to start the tradition at the high school.
