Barton Community Helps Hope Station

Luann Clark collects items for food drive.

WILSON, N.C. – As faculty and staff returned to Barton College on Monday, Aug. 17, to  prepare for the start of a new academic year, they brought more with them than the expected pencils and planners.  Packages of non-perishable food items piled up as the Barton community answered Hope Station’s call for help.

Hope Station, an interfaith community agency located in Wilson, placed ads in “The Wilson Times,” asking for food donations to replenish their nearly exhausted supply.  Luann Clark, administrative assistant to the vice president for administration and finance, read the notices and was moved to respond.  Clark emailed the campus community and asked them to bring items to the opening College Assembly on Aug. 17.

“It was an overwhelming response,” said Clark.  “I had hoped to receive at least one item per person, but most people arrived with so much more.”

Having filled the back of a pickup truck, Clark and members of Barton’s physical plant staff delivered the food to Hope Station that same day.  On Wednesday, Clark delivered two additional boxes filled with late donations.

“The staff at Hope Station were very appreciative,” said Clark, who was thrilled with the response from the Barton community.

“Everybody who works at this college thinks about the community, and that is very heartwarming.”