Effort collects thousands of pounds of food

From left, Josh Romine, Michael Garcia and Sean Lurker wave at passing motorists on American Legion Boulevard during Saturday's "Stuff the Bus" effort at the Grace Lutheran food pantry. All three students attend from Richard McKenna Charter High School.

A local bus company collected thousands of pounds of canned and non-perishable food during a yearly effort aimed at helping less-fortunate families across the community.

Marking its first year of service in the Mountain Home area, the Caldwell Bus Company hosted this year's "Stuff the Bus" food drive with its vehicles located at buses at Paul's Market, Albertson's and the Grace Lutheran Food Pantry.

As the name implies, the goal was to fill each of these buses with enough food to help families struggling to make ends meet as the holiday season approached. The drive began in mid-November with a second collection held on Saturday.

"We had a really good response from everybody," said Dave Snider, a spokesperson with the bus company. "This is a very giving community."

Snider said food donated at some collection points not only filled the seats on the bus but overflowed into the center aisle way. "They were just awed at how generous people were," a company representative said regarding the level of support the Mountain Home community provided.

Food collected by the bus company benefited the Grace Lutheran Food Pantry, the El-Ada Community Action Agency as well as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.