Dec 8, 2014 2 min read

Students in the Trinity Middle School music department have been challenged to collect 1,000 cans of food for the Greater Washington Area Food Bank.

If they are successful, an anonymous donor will give $1,000 to the Salvation Army in the name of Trinity Middle School.

“Needless to say, the students, staff and administration are excited to be part of such an awesome challenge,” said Gordon Lowry, middle school band director. “We have collected for the local food bank at our concerts for as long as I can remember. However, never has someone issued us such an awesome challenge.”

Trinity Middle School is no stranger to charitable work. Usually spearheaded by student council, various fundraisers have generated more than $70,000 for different charities in the last five years. This does not include money raised by the parent organization and other fundraising drives, such as Operation Christmas Child, Hunger Games and other service-oriented projects.

“This goal is totally achievable,” said Ashley Cesaratto, middle school chorus and orchestra director. “If every music student brings two or three canned items to each concert, we will easily surpass this goal.”

Traditionally, the National Junior Honor Society collects the items at the concerts, and this year will be no different.

“Competition often motivates the children to action,” said Matthew P. Komula, general music and seventh-grade chorus teacher. “The great part about this competition is the real winners are the food bank and the Salvation Army, and these kids know that.”

Canned food items and cash donations will be accepted at all concerts, which will begin at 7 p.m. at Trinity Middle School auditorium as follows:

• Wednesday – orchestra;

• Dec. 16 – seventh- and eighth-grade band;

• Dec. 18 – seventh- and eighth-grade chorus;

• Dec. 22 – sixth-grade band and chorus.