Rotary’s Stuff the Bus Fills the Shelves of the PRC!

On Saturday, July 19^th, the little yellow school bus, parked in front of Hannaford’s on Route 22, opened its doors and the Pawling community graciously and enthusiastically filled it with needed non-perishables, baby supplies, paper goods, and personal care items for members of our community who experience hardship.  With food banks nationwide struggling to provide necessities, the Pawling community’s support for the Pawling Resource Center’s mission of supporting neighbors in need has been unwavering for almost 50 years!

Pawling Rotary’s partners in this annual event were Hannaford, the Pawling Resource Center, and the Pawling Central School District, each working together seamlessly to organize an event that would provide more than 1,800 pounds of product that now sit, well-organized and available, on PRC shelves for the Resource Center families.

Rotarians who participated in this year’s event were Stacy and Marek Cyrwus, Keith Johnson, Michael Alexander, Stephanie Mclaughlin, Amy Mazziotti, Rotary president Carolyn Graziano, Medina Khalil and her daughter Lucy (who is an avid supporter of the club), Paul Lavelle, Jillian Pelliccio, Susan Stone, Paula Aguilar, and Chris Fisher.  

This year’s Stuff the Bus event was a resounding success, thanks to the generosity of local residents and the dedication of volunteers. As shoppers exited Hannaford, they were greeted by smiling Rotary members and volunteers from partner organizations, who handed out lists of requested items and gratefully collected donations throughout the day. By the event’s end, the bus was brimming with contributions, a testament to the community’s unwavering commitment to caring for its own.

PCSD school bus drivers who volunteered their time and energy were Yasmine Mosleh and Meaghan Lozzo. Michael Alexander, who serves as the executive director of the Resource Center, and Brandon Dobraj, PRC program coordinator, led PRC volunteers Nathalie Alexander, David Santus, and Trinity-Pawling School chaplain Rev. Daniel Lennox and his son Dez in the unloading, weighing, and shelving process.

Finally, a special thank-you to Brendan Simmons, manager of customer services at Hannaford, for organizing everything at the store, which contributed to making this such a successful event.

Pawling Rotary and its Stuff the Bus partners are immeasurably grateful to the Pawling community for its support of this annual event that provides for our neighbors in need during this difficult time. 

Information about the Pawling Resource Center’s mission and programs may be found on its website at pawlingresourcecenter.org.  For more information about the Pawling Rotary Club and the many ways it serves the community, and for information about membership, please log onto pawlingrotary.org.