Community Volunteers Pack 31,104 Meals in Two Hours

More than 200 volunteers came together at Ottawa University’s Faith Arena on Saturday, September 19, to pack 31,104 meals for local families through Meals of Hope.

Working across 12 packing lines, volunteers completed the meals in just two hours. The full effort stretched from 7:30 a.m. to noon, including setup and cleanup. Participants included the Mayor of Surprise, Ottawa University students, local school students, Rotarians, and community volunteers.

Half of the packed meals, along with leftover food from the event, went to Valley View Community Food Bank. The remaining boxes of meals went to St. Mary’s Food Bank. Both partners will help get the food to families who need it.

The Rotary Club of Surprise & Sun City West raised $9,000 from generous donors to pay for the packing materials. Special thanks go to Rotarian Jim Schlenvogt for leading the effort and coordinating with the City of Surprise and Ottawa University; Debbie and Greg Sullivan for their continued work with Meals of Hope; Ottawa University for providing Faith Arena; and Daisy Vargas and the City of Surprise for their support and resources.

Thank you to everyone who donated, helped with Friday’s setup, packed meals on Saturday, or stayed for cleanup. Together, you showed what Rotary’s “Service Above Self” looks like in action.