Staff writer
Friday morning teacher Gary Stuchlik found his classroom barricaded with a wall of cans, 335 cans of food from the floor to the top casing. He had no choice but to cancel his classes for the day.
Of course he, and the other teachers at Marion High School, agreed to the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America’s plan to collect can goods to donate to the Marion County Emergency Food Bank. FCCLA chapter member Spencer Fugitt had cleared the plan — if enough cans could be collected to close off a classroom door, that teacher would have no classes for the day — with Principal Tod Gordon.
Stuchlik had study time available for interested students. The students who normally had classes with Stuchlik could also go to the gym for games supervised by FCCLA sponsor Myrta Billings.
The can drive was inspired by “Share Our Strength: No Kid Hungry,” FCCLA’s national outreach program this year intended to fight hunger in the U.S. Billings said one in five children is reported to go hungry, about 16 million Americans.
The MHS FCCLA chapter wanted to work on something locally. All the cans gathered will be donated to the Marion County Emergency Food Bank.
Students also put up 222 cans in front of Lisa Johnson’s room, but because the can count was higher in front of Stuchlik’s door she still had class. The food just went to a good cause.