'These kids rock'

POST FALLS - The stories behind the food drive are as inspiring as the pounds collected.

Students in Post Falls' six elementary schools collected 20,433 pounds of food for the Post Falls Food Bank during this year's K-5 Food Drive Challenge that ended on Friday.

"These kids rock," said Mark Jones, food drive coordinator. "Literally unbelievable. Astronomical."

The total surpassed last year's total of 16,200 pounds. Elementary students have collected about 100,000 pounds in the past six years.

Earlier this school year, Post Falls high school students collected food during the Prairie Pig spirit week with Lakeland and middle school students collected during the Souper Bowl event.

In the elementary drive, Mullan Trail students collected the most with 5,285 pounds, edging perennial champion Frederick Post Kindercenter's 4,865.

"I think our families know what it means to struggle at times and feel empathy for their neighbors," said Katrina Kelly, Mullan Trail principal.

West Ridge raised 3,252, Seltice 2,853, Ponderosa 2,785 and Prairie View 1,393.

"In this down economy, our youngsters and those associated with them embraced this endeavor," Jones said. "We fully anticipated this not being an overachieving year. We were wrong."

Individual efforts were also heartwarming.

Mullan Trail's Ethan Miller found $20 and, when it was returned to him after no one claimed it, he donated it toward the cause.

Mullan Trail second-grader Wendy Hall brought in 128 items.

And one boy at the school said he couldn't bring food because he gets his from the food bank. But the next day he brought in seven cans anyway.

The list could go on.

"Even if kids couldn't bring in food, we got them involved by having them pack out food," Jones said. "It was their own way of giving back."

Each school collected food around a theme, developed creative ways to collect and set up displays at their schools that were judged by community leaders.

Seltice won the spirit award with its Olympics theme. Mullan Trail, which partnered with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, had a "Putting out hunger" approach and will celebrate its win with a dousing from a fire truck on Tuesday, weather permitting.

Ponderosa won the Ice Cream Headache Award for attracting the most participants - nearly 300 - to the Lick the Record Ice Cream Challenge during the recent Jordan Johnson Memorial Run to benefit the Boys and Girls Club. The challenge went after the world record for the most people licking ice cream at once, but fell short.

The food drive efforts came at a critical time, Jones said.

"When we brought in items, they were literally going out the door that same day," Jones said. "It was a great opportunity for our students to give back to the community. What was raised could not have come at a better time."