Rincon Elementary School received an award from the Food Outreach Coop of Effingham for raising the most food items of all the schools in Effingham County during a food drive last fall.

In total, the 14 county schools donated approximately 20,000 canned goods for the food drive. For the middle school division of the food drive, Ebenezer Middle won and for high school, Effingham County High School was tops.

RES won for both elementary division and overall.

“This was a wonderful thing that the schools did at a time when the need was so great at the food pantries,” said FORCE director Archie Jenkins.

The five food pantries in the county were running low of goods to give to their clients at the time, but the food drive replenished the supply from the middle of November, through the holidays and into January.

Sherri Walsh, the RES reading recovery teacher who headed the RES food drive, and RES Principal Dr. Paige Dickey accepted the awards presented by Jenkins from FORCE. The students competed between grades to see who could collect the most non-perishables, and the second graders won, with 600 cans.

Per capita, RES collected 3.6 cans per student.

In addition to food drives, FORCE hosts a number of fundraisers throughout the year to raise money, which include an upcoming golf tournament and a concert. All contributions to FORCE go directly to the area food pantries.