As a result of a challenge issued to students and staff to Stuff the Bus with food items for the local Chrysalis Place Food Pantry by two Gardiner Regional Middle School staff members, more than 3,000 items were loaded into a school bus and staff members pickup truck and delivered to the Gardiner area food pantry on Dec. 21, according to a news release from Principal Todd Sanders.

Donations of dry and canned items were collected over a period of three weeks. Included was a friendly competition among homerooms for a first-place pizza party and a runner-up cookie party, sponsored by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization.

Gardiner Regional Middle School students and staff load a school bus full of food items for the Chrysalis Place Food Pantry in Gardiner. Photo courtesy of Gardiner Regional Middle School

Food and miscellaneous items donated by Gardiner Regional Middle School students to be dropped off at the Chrysalis Place Food Pantry in Gardiner. Photo courtesy of Gardiner Regional Middle School

More food and miscellaneous donations collected by Gardiner Regional Middle School students to be donated to the Chrysalis Place Food Pantry in Gardiner. Photo courtesy of Gardiner Regional Middle School

One of School Administrative District 11’s and Gardiner Regional Middle School’s goals for the year is to create strong and caring connections with the communities of the district. At this time of giving this small gesture certainly helped to make that goal a little closer to reality as the first half of the school year comes to a close, according to the release.

The students and staff at GRMS would like to extend this challenge to the public.

For more information about how to support Chrysalis Place Food Pantry, call 582-5507.