Seton Catholic junior Stefanie Valent-Musleh, front, and other students load Walk & Knock food donations. Last year, Seton Catholic wasn't able to participate in the event. "We're embracing it this year, and we're so excited to be a part of it," said Vice Principal Dan Chase while helping students load the donations into cars. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)Photo Gallery
After school on Friday, Dec. 3, a group of students from Seton Catholic College Preparatory High School delivered more than 1,000 pounds of food to the Clark County Food Bank.
The food was collected by students during a class competition for the Walk & Knock/Drive & Drop food drive, which is taking place today.
Seton Catholic students have been participating in Walk & Knock for more than a decade, according to Seton Catholic Vice Principal Dan Chase.
In past years, volunteering students collected food from porches. This year, students will be volunteering at various drop-off locations.
Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the food drive will look a little different this year.
Instead of picking up donations from porches, volunteers will accept donations between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at drop-off locations throughout Clark County.
“We haven’t ever done a class competition for Walk & Knock before,” Chase said, holding open a door as students carried overstuffed bags of canned food outside. “But we’re doing everything a little different this year.”
The class competition was a success, according to Conner Berg, a senior who has participated in Walk & Knock both as a Boy Scout and in school since he was in fifth grade.
“I would say this method has been even more successful than in years past,” he said. “The competition corresponded with spirit week, and I think people were really excited to be involved.”
Before heading to the Clark County Food Bank, Walk & Knock board member and former President Justin Wood, who helped organize the competition, inspected the piles of food.
“It looks like it’s a close battle between the freshmen and the sophomores,” he said.
The class that raised the most food will be announced today. The winners will receive a doughnut party and a plaque commemorating their efforts.
Wood said that he hopes the tradition will continue, and that future winning classes will be added to the large plaque.
“We want to keep this thing going,” he said.
People interested in donating to Walk & Knock today can bring nonperishable food and toiletries to any of the following locations:
Chuck’s Produce – 2302 N.E. 117th St.
Hudson’s Bay High School – 1601 E. McLoughlin Blvd.
Living Hope Church – 2711 N.E. Andresen Road.
Parkrose Hardware – 16509 S.E. First St.
Walmart – 14505 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd.
Clark County Food Bank – 6502 N.E. 47th Ave.
ERS Rental Group – 2305 S.E. Eighth St., Camas.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire & Rescue Station 26 – 21609 N.E. 72nd Ave., Battle Ground.
La Center bridge, in downtown La Center.
View Ridge Middle School – 3215 S. Hillhurst Road, Ridgefield.
Additionally, donations will be accepted at Riverview Community Bank branches, Les Schwab Tire Centers and Cost Less Auto Parts locations until Dec. 10.
Financial donations will also be accepted online at walkandknock.org, and checks can be sent to P.O. Box 353, Vancouver, WA, 98666.
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