HACC Food Drive Challenge underway; HPD drops by with donations

HACC kids pose with HPD officials after they drop-off items for the Center's Food Drive Challenge. — HACC kids pose with HPD officials after they dropped off items for the Center’s Food Drive Challenge.

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

With a little more than a week to go, kids at Hays Area Children’s Center are asking the community for help with their second annual Food Drive Challenge to reach their goal of raising nearly 400 cans of food for Options, a domestic and sexual violence advocacy group in northwest Kansas.

Officials from the Hays Police Department stopped by the children’s center Tuesday with boxes of non-perishable food items, toothpaste and toothbrushes to help the kids with their efforts to beat last year’s total of 345 donated items.

About 30 children from the HACC’s school-aged program welcomed the police at the door and helped distribute the goods into various boxes.

“It’s a good thing you are doing, and we certainly appreciate it and the community does too,” Sgt. Dan Koerner told the kids.

Screen Shot 2014-07-22 at 1.11.33 PM — Cpl. David Vilaysing and Sgt. Dan Koerner unload boxes HPD donated to HACC’s Food Drive Challenge.

Cpl. David Vilaysing added, “You all are doing an excellent job. I’m proud of you.”

Hays Area Children’s Center Community Relations Coordinator, Kelly O’Brien Koerner said the HACC kids are accepting donations until 9 a.m. July 31.

Items can be dropped off at HACC, 94 Lewis Drive.

For more information, contact O’Brien at (785) 625-3257 or [email protected].

The kids will deliver the donations to Options on Aug. 1.