Star Telephone employees need the community’s help to put food on the tables of those less fortunate. And they are hoping they’ll come through by supporting the company’s 2nd Annual Food Drive, being held from Tuesday through Sunday. Employees are pleading with the public for help and urging residents to join them in the event that will feed many of those who are hungry in Sampson County.
“We are very proud to once again sponsor this important project in support of our community and the Christian Food Bank of Salemburg. It’s this type of basic community support that separates Star from absentee service providers that only take money out of our community and never give anything back. It is our hope that our citizens will consider this when making a service purchase decision,” stated Lyman Horne, executive vice president and general manager of Star.
Star staff members are set and ready to start collecting all types of canned fruits and vegetables, boxed pasta and cereal, as well as canned meats and jars of peanut butter, and other non-perishable food items beginning Tuesday, Sept. 4.
Jeff Shipp, community relations manager of Star Telephone, stated, “The communities Star Telephone has the privilege of serving have been very good to us over the past 50-plus years, and, as last year, our employees are so eager to embrace this community service project with all our efforts and give to those who are in need. It is such a humbling experience.”
Employees will be filling grocery bags with the donated food items all week. They are hoping to fill as many vans as possible with food for the hungry. Donations can be made at either the main office location on U.S. 421 North or the business office located in the Lowe’s Shopping Center, throughout the entire week. There will be a wrapup day on Saturday, at two locations in the county — Piggly Wiggly, Jordan Shopping Center in Clinton and Piggly Wiggly, Lakewood Plaza in Roseboro. Collections of food donations will start at 9 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. at each location.
According to Sara Boyer, community relations secretary, “After an epic performance in 2011 by our employees, friends and neighbors during our first food drive, we are hoping for even greater support this year. During this week, we encourage everyone to drop off donations of non-perishable food items, which will benefit those in our communities who are in need. For your convenience, we will provide brown paper grocery bags, which you can pick up at any of our business office locations. Once you bring your donation in…whether it is one item or a bag full…we will trade your brown grocery bag or any donation for a reusable grocery bag,” stated Boyer.
Last year Star Telephone was recognized by the Cooperative Council of North Carolina as the cooperative that collected the most food. Star is again partnering with the council and with the Christian Food Bank in Salemburg for this project.
Salemburg’s food bank is an organization made up of volunteers from several local churches — Zoar Pentecostal Free Will Baptist, Mt. Moriah Baptist, Freedom Baptist, Union Grove, Baptist Chapel, Salemburg Baptist and Corinth Baptist. The food bank has been called upon to reach into Sampson and beyond, to meet the basic food needs of those who can’t provide for themselves.
As part of the week’s food drive, Star will also host Customer Appreciation Day Wednesday, Sept. 5. Customer Appreciation Day will be observed at both business office locations. The theme of the day is “Help Feed the Hungry and We Will Feed You!”Boyer explained that the only request Star has for each customer is to bring at least one non-perishable food item and, in turn, Star will provide a light lunch and soft drink to show its appreciation.
“We look forward to visiting with all our friends and neighbors on Wednesday at our Customer Appreciation Day. Just bring a non-perishable food item and join us for a light lunch,” requested Shipp.
The hours of the celebration are 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
“Yes, this will be a busy week for us, but we are looking forward to visiting with you, while helping those who are in need,” remarked Shipp.
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