Despite the uncertain weather, a crowd gathered at Boyertown Area Multi-Service for the 7th Annual Preston’s Pantry Food Drive and Community Day on Saturday, May 3.
Boyertown Area Multi-Service, a social service agency founded in 1973, provides resources and services to meet unfulfilled human and community needs in the greater Boyertown area. In 1995, a food pantry was added.
In May 2018, Preston Dray, 8, organized a food drive for a school project at the end of his third-grade school year at Pine Forge Elementary School and collected 45 pounds of food for the pantry. Following his death, along with his mother Pamela and his unborn sister, in a flash flood in July 2018, the pantry was renamed Preston’s Pantry in his memory in 2019.
“It (this event) means the world to us,” said Rob Snyder, grandfather to Preston and father to Pamela. “It’s a legacy for our daughter and our grandson, and it’s just continuing… to be remembered and to make such an impact — this is one of the best things because it’s not just their legacy, but it also helps people that really need help.”
Community Day
Community Day was filled with music, prizes, crafts, a food truck, a petting zoo, games, and visits with Cinderella and a Minion.
Carnival games had families competing in challenges like the strongman strength test, also known as a high striker.
Hayden Dutill, 11, took a turn with the strongman mallet and reached level seven, while her mom, Kristen, reached level 11.
Eric Hoppes and Lillian Landom, 9, engaged in Boom Blaster, an old-style carnival game during which contestants pump a detonator to blow up a balloon. The first player to pop their balloon wins.
At the dunk tank, Taiden Hartz, 7, hit the paddle and submerged pantry volunteer Dolores Shank-Samiec.
“It’s refreshing and fun, but it’s slippery when trying to get back on the seat.”
Party Animals Express provided a petting zoo with Pygmy goats, ducks, bunnies, sheep, Frizzle and Silkie chickens and a one-month-old pot bellied pig named Toast. All of the animals live on a farm together in Green Lane. One chicken laid an egg while traveling to Boyertown.
Food Drive
With 1,082 people on their roster, the Multi-Service helps 396 families. In 2024, the pantry distributed 327,442 pounds of food. So far this year, 70,184 pounds of food have been dispensed to those in need.
Preston’s Pantry is a community project with a legacy that is always expanding.
A local church youth group created a community garden. So far, the group has planted an estimated 1,000 seedlings.
“By spring of next year, they should have a fully functioning community garden that would benefit Preston’s Pantry,” said Hamer.
Multi-Service volunteers Maeve Hart, 13, and Olivia Daly, 12, spent the day sorting food donations.
“People need food, especially now,” said Hart.
“I just wanted to help,” said Daly.
The annual Preston’s Pantry Food Drive is the largest collection event for the pantry at Boyertown Area Multi-Service.
With the number of families in need, plus rising costs, the pantry is always in need of donations.
“We hope to stock the pantry for the summer,” said Multi-Service director of case management Diana Hamer.
Jonathon Jarvis of Barto donated close to 2,000 pounds of nonperishables to the food drive. He has been dropping off donations to the Multi-Service regularly for several years.
Jarvis explained that by working for a grocery store, he notices when things are on sale or discounted, so he can bring it to the pantry quickly and in big quantities.
About 25 Boyertown businesses collected nonperishables for the food drive, with Diamond Credit Union collecting 700 pounds of food. Local businesses also donated more than $2,000 in gift cards and raffle baskets.
Community members came out to the 7th annual food drive and community day to support the social agency that serves those in need in the Boyertown area.
“We are here today because I wanted to support Multi-Service,” said Felicia Rundles. “They helped me when I needed it, they helped me get on my feet, especially with the Christmas program.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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