A Hungry Goal - Feeding 100 families at Thanksgiving
By: Brad Trost, staff writer
10/29/2007
posted at 3 p.m. on Monday, October 29, 2007
Nathan Rosa would like to see the century mark reached by Thanksgiving.
Eagle Scout Nathan Rosa, second from left, hopes to provide between 50 and 100 food baskets to needy Owasso families for Thanksgiving. Helping Rosa are Chick-Fil-A owner Mark Schneider, from left, Owasso Community Resources Executive Director Jeanette North and Chick-Fil-A Unit Marketing Director Elaine Slaughter. BRAD TROST/Owasso Reporter
As crazy as the weather has been in 2007, Rosa isn't hoping for scorching hot weather for Turkey Day. Football weather on Thanksgiving Day will suit the Owasso High School freshman just fine.The goal of 100 is to provide that many food baskets for families in need for the holiday. In a partnership with Owasso Community Resources, Belk and Chick-Fil-A, Rosa is using one of his Boy Scout Eagle Projects for a food drive to help fill up food baskets at Chick-Fil-A, 12015 E. 96 St. N. "Our goal is to have 50 baskets for 50 families in need for Thanksgiving," Rosa said. "But we hope to get 100 baskets filled."The food drive began on Oct. 26 and will conclude on Saturday, Nov. 17. Families who are interested in receiving a food basket for Thanksgiving must register with OCR Nov. 1-3, said Jeanette North, OCR executive director. Families can call OCR at 272-4969 and talk to Lori Lane about registration.Baskets will be distributed from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 19 at Friendship Baptist Church to families, who have registered.Rosa said the decision to help out the community and help needy families have a good Thanksgiving meal was easy after an eye-opening experience. He recently helped fellow Eagle Scout Brandon Mott on a community project that assisted needy families in Owasso. Both are members of Boy Scout Troop 18."I saw some of the houses and places in Owasso that really need help and that's when I thought I would do something for the community for my Eagle Scout project rather than make a bird house or a park bench," Rosa said. "Seeing that there are people in need, it makes you be thankful for what you do have."It almost seems like destiny the way the partnership evolved. Rosa's father, Mike, has season tickets to all of Owasso's home football games. Mark Schneider, owner of the Owasso Chick-Fil-A, also has season tickets for Ram football. It just so happens that Mike Rosa's seats are next to Schneider's seats. "They talked back and forth at the football games and it just so happens that Mark has a son the same age as Nathan and they started talking about Nathan," said Elaine Slaughter, unit marketing director for the Owasso Chick-Fil-A. "Mark talked to me after the first game and we meet Nathan and everything started to come together."It's great that we can partner with the community and give back. That's one of the core values of Chick-Fil-A. I think a lot of people who live in Owasso think everyone has enough food, clothing and shelter and they don't realize that there are families in need."Slaughter said Chick-Fil-A's charity of choice is OCR. Troop 18 has worked with OCR on several projects and the decision to bring the three together was obvious. "OCR is working with me to provide the list of the most needy families in Owasso," Rosa said. "OCR helped out Brandon when he did a health care project at the library. OCR is great to work with."Owasso's Belk location, 9002 N. 121 E. Ave., is also assisting in the food drive. OCR is also Belk's primary charity of choice and a connection Chick-Fil-A management has with Belk's management brought the department store into the food drive."Belk is going to have fliers at their store promoting the food drive," Slaughter said. "And whoever donates food will receive a coupon for a free milkshake and a $5 off coupon at Belk. It's a win, win for everybody."We're hoping that this tradition that Nathan is starting will continue year after year."Suggested items to be donated are 6-to-8-pound turkey or ham, canned vegetables (corn and green beans), instant mashed potatoes, canned gravy, cranberry sauce, boxed stuffing mix, Jiffy brand pie mix crust, canned pumpkin pie filling, canned fruit pie filling and Thanksgiving or fall-themed paper napkins.
©Neighbor Newspapers 2007
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