STURGIS, S.D. – Thanks to a group of Sturgis volunteers, some students who may not get lunch this week due to school being closed due to the COVID-19 virus, will not go hungry.
Shawn Fisher with the Sturgis Ambulance Service as well as several other local volunteers, will hand out sack lunches this coming week to any students in need.
Because the schools are being cleaned and sanitized, Fisher says they will be ready for curb side pickup at the fire hall on Ball Park Road beginnng at 11:00 a.m. Monday. There is also delivery available for anyone unable to get to the fire hall or are sick.
Volunteers spent Sunday afternoon getting the bags ready. They were filled with fruit, juice boxes, chips, cookies, pudding and other donated goodies from Sturgis area businesses. There will also be bags available that have no peanut butter for those who have peanut allergies.
Sandwiches and other items that needed to be refrigerated will be put into the bags just ahead of handing them out on Monday morning.
Fisher says she is so happy to see the community come together for such a great effort.
“I know parents are on a budget, and I don’t want any kids to go hungry. I started by asking people to call me if they needed help, and then I thought this could be so much bigger, and that’s when volunteers started jumping in.”
Fisher says she is overwhelmed by the generosity of the community willing to jump on board and make this work.
She says all precautions are being taken in making the lunches with the flu, cold and COVID-19 outbreak.
“We will screen everyone who is making sandwiches before they are allowed to make them, and all of our volunteers are wearing gloves as well.”
The sack lunches will be available for anyone who needs one this coming week, Monday through Friday.
Fisher says they will revisit the situation if schools need to close into the following week.
There is a similar event going on for students in need in Rapid City.
Open Heart United Methodist Church and Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church will hold a curbside sack lunch giveaway at 202 East Indiana Street. They will be handing out sack lunches beginning at 10:30 a.m. Monday. They, too, will hand out lunches all week.
