Forest City, Iowa – The seventh annual food-packaging event at Waldorf College resulted in 70,848 meals packed for children in Tanzania, Africa. The school once again partnered with Immanuel Lutheran Church to bring Outreach, Inc. to campus for five hours of continuous packing on Wednesday, March 6.
This was the second year Waldorf senior Jeffrey Bodensteiner of Albert Lea, Minn. participated in the event. “It was a nice opportunity to help under privileged people around the world. We were able to raise a lot of money for a great cause,” Bodensteiner said.
Bodensteiner participated in two fundraising events leading up to Wednesday: a bake sale hosted by the Alpha Chi Honor Society and the Luise V. Hanson Library’s used book sale. Additional fundraisers throughout the year have included an ice cream stand during Puckerbrush Days, Breadline (a bake sale with just bread items), Music with a Mission at Immanuel Lutheran Church, and several others including church collections. Several events have split their fundraising dollars between the food-packaging event and Forest City’s Neighborhood Food Bank. Over $18,000 was raised this year with the help of groups throughout North Iowa including a generous donation of $5,000 from the Hanson Foundation.
“The support we’ve received from the community for this event has been wonderful,” said Pott Van Auken, an event organizer from Immanuel Lutheran Church. “So many different communities and churches have given their time and money to help fight hunger throughout the world. It’s such a great feeling when we all come together.”
Community groups from Britt, Fertile, Forest City, Garner, Joice, Lake Mills, Thompson, and Titonka came to Waldorf College’s Atrium to join one of the 12 lines of packaging. By the end of the day nearly 500 people had participated in the service project.
“Service is an important part of Waldorf College,” said Steve Smith, assistant professor of religion and chair of Waldorf’s vocation and service committee. “We expect our graduates to leave here and make the world a better place.”
The 2014 food-packaging event has been tentatively scheduled for the first Wednesday in March. Additional information about Outreach, Inc. can be obtained from http://www.outreachprogram.
