Inwood Primary breaks Valentine’s Day food drive record

By Jenni Vincent Feb. 23. 2020

INWOOD, W.Va. — Call it the little school with the big heart.

“Inwood Primary isn’t the biggest school in the county, and at least not by numbers, but we have some of the most caring staff, students and families here. Their support is especially impressive considering our enrollment,” Principal Ryan Ott said. “For a smaller school, it really is awesome, and that includes how the community rallies around us.”

That caring spirit was on display during this year’s “Show Your Love for Others” food drive, which netted a record number of items, Ott said.

Eight classrooms donated a total of 2,221 nonperishable food items for CCAP Loaves and Fishes, a food pantry in Martinsburg, said drive organizer Janet Kawalek, who also is the school’s secretary.

“This is our 12th year, and it is pretty exciting because it’s the most items we’ve ever collected, especially when you consider we are a school of 165 students,” she said with a smile. “That is also really amazing considering we were at about 1,800 items a couple of years ago.”

Kawalek previously volunteered with Loaves and Fishes, but still wanted to help the nonprofit organization after she became a full-time school employee.

The idea of doing a Valentine’s Day food drive was born, and has continued to thrive, she said.

It is a classroom competition, but she is responsible for collecting, counting, sorting and even checking expiration dates on each item.

“I don’t mind because after having volunteered there, I know that when they get the food donations, especially something of this volume, it is much easier to have things organized and ready to go on the pantry shelves,” she said.

“In addition to the large number of donations, the quality of food we received this year was really good, with most of it coming from the wish list we suggested.”

A nearby table and boxes on the floor were stuffed with a variety of canned soups, vegetables, pasta products and meats. Other donations included boxed macaroni and cheese, instant potatoes, peanut butter and lots of cereal, Kawalek said.

A couple of families in two classrooms were the driving force behind the effort and contributed hundreds of items, she said.

But it is not all about numbers.

“If a child brings in one can of soup, it’s a win. And it also matters that the children see the importance of giving and sharing — whether or not they can make a donation. Growing their giving spirit is what this is all about, too,” Kawalek said.

Brooklynn Snow, whose class with 25 students dominated the drive with 780 donations, said they were “screaming” when they found out they won.

“They definitely got out of their chairs, and it was so much fun to see them that excited,” she said as students Kylee Hayslette, Agnes Menendez, Aiden Segal and Karson Writt checked out the donations stacked in the school’s main hallway.

Other teachers and class donations included:
• Bethany Sibole, 431
• Joanna Kane, 284
• Lindsay Howe, 183
• Bridget Williams, 181
• Lindsay Dodds, 141
• Bethany Miller, 128
• Elisha Ramer, 93

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