This past Saturday was a giving day in the Town of Crawford as the Wallkill East Rotary Club hosted their fourth annual food drive in the senior center.

The club, which is a part of Rotary District 7210, is a service organization that often participates and hosts community service events. They serve the Town of Crawford as well as the Town of Wallkill, with some of their members from Pine Bush.

Rotary Clubs are a part of Rotary, a global organization made up of over 46,000 clubs to support education, peace, environmental issues and more. Their website states their mission: “We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.”

This food drive was also sponsored by the Town of Crawford Police Department and the town. The event ran from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Non-perishable donated food, which included various cans and boxes, went to four local organizations with food pantries: Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in Bullville, Bullville United Methodist Church, New Prospect Reformed Church, and Pine Bush High School. Each of them came between 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. to pick up the food.

Rotary Club member Peggy Lucido put a lot of effort into making the food drive happen, noting it felt “fantastic” to give back.

“It started again a few years ago, just in order to see what we could do. What could we do to help? Food banks provide some things for some pantries, but not all of them. Some of the smaller ones don’t participate, so they rely entirely on donations,” said Peggy Lucido.
She also mentioned that there are always families in need. “Pantries are receiving more and more families all the time that are looking for help and assistance,” Peggy Lucido mentioned.

Aside from Rotary members, Pine Bush High School and Crispell Middle School Interact Club members also came by to volunteer. The Interact Club focuses on youth volunteers and is a part of Rotary as well.

Orange County Legislator Robert C. Sassi, who represents towns Crawford and Wallkill, was also present to show support.

Peggy Lucido’s husband and fellow rotary club member, Sal Lucido noted that they’d be doing this same event again in Wallkill in April. “Next month, we will do the same thing in the Town of Wallkill,” said Sal Lucido.

While Peggy Lucido has been a part of the club for five years, Sal Lucido has spent eight years in the Rotary Club. Over the past few years they’ve been a part of numerous events that have given a lot back to the community. Sal Lucido opened up about what the club does.

“We do a coat drive in the winter. Normally we collect coats all of October and then distribute them sometime in November. Last year we had close to 600 coats. The Rotary itself also helps other organizations; for example, we ring the bell for the Salvation Army. We [also] help at the National Night Out. We cooked probably three to four thousand hamburgers,” said Sal Lucido.

The Wallkill East Rotary Club will host another food drive in the Town of Wallkill at the Town of Wallkill Community Center on April 1.