EVERETT — Cascade High School students were ready to spend a long, cold night in the school parking lot Tuesday evening.
They weren’t lining up for concert tickets or a chance to buy the latest gadget.
More than 100 teens showed up prepared to camp so they could — are you ready for this? — get a chance to hand out food to the needy.
“It restores my faith in young people,” said Kathleen Dale, a community outreach coordinator for the Everett Food Bank.
Every year, Cascade High School students gather truckloads of food. A few dozen students are chosen to deliver the groceries and toys to families.
It’s become such a coveted duty in past years, students started showing up earlier and earlier to put their name on the list.
“Last year, it was 9 at night and I looked out my window and saw camp chairs,” said Roberta Hasstedt, an Associated Student Body adviser who oversees the food drive. She said the food drive is a bigger deal to alumni than homecoming.
The school district, concerned about safety, told students they couldn’t stay overnight this year. Parents of students were sent an automated telephone message and an email warning against it.
“It has come to our attention that some students are planning to arrive in the night to be first in line,” the message said. “This is not approved by administration and will not be supervised.”
Kids showed up anyway and ended up on the sidewalk near the school. The police were called and the students ended up back on school property. Finally, Hasstedt showed up and told them all to go home.
The entire incident seemed to have injected a cheery note into the voice of Everett Police spokesman Sgt. Robert Goetz. He called it a positive story.
“Really? They are lining up the night before?” he said. “That’s amazing kids would do that.”
Wednesday morning, more students were back at around 3 a.m. to get in line. In total, 144 teens sacrificed sleep to sign up. Kids eager to volunteer is probably a problem that most schools would be happy to have, Hasstedt said.
Volunteers of America connects the students with around 150 families who need help. In turn, the students are responsible for distributing not just an a holiday meal but an entire’s month worth of groceries to each household. Families with children also receive toys. About half of the recipients are seniors or children.
So many students showed up with tents and sleeping bags because the evening wait is a tradition and a bonding experience, said Bria Jeanice, a junior at Cascade High. While that part is fun, the real draw truly is helping people, she said.
Last year, the students at Cascade High School gathered 118,000 grocery items and $23,000.
Senior Annie Stavang helped deliver some of those groceries and toys. She said she’s never had to worry about where her next meal is coming from or whether she’ll get a Christmas gift. Seeing the reaction of people in her community receiving those gifts was — in a word — awesome.
“It’s like they’re surprised you just keep bringing in boxes,” Stavang said. “They are just overwhelmed in the best way possible.”
Debra Smith: 425-339-3197; dsmith@heraldnet.com.
How to donate
To donate money or nonperishable food items to the Cascade High School food drive, drop off items at the school office at 801 E. Casino Road, Everett.
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