BY SUSAN BRYANT
sbryant@tnonline.com
South Whitehall Township police, in partnership with the Travis Manion Foundation and Heroes Fighting Hunger had their last food drive Nov. 18 at Parkland C.A.R.E.S. food pantry, Orefield.
The food drive, coordinated by Reagan Kinney, Parkland High School junior and student director for the Travis Manion Foundation Lehigh Valley 911 Heroes Chapter honored each branch of the military.
The foundation, a nonprofit organization in Doylestown is named for Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who was killed in action on April 29, 2007, in Anbar province, Iraq.
The foundation helps develop programs, training opportunities and events designed to empower veterans and families of the fallen, and then inspire them to pass on their values to the next generation and the community.
According to South Whitehall Commissioners’ President Christina “Tori” Morgan, the final tally and police officer representatives for each military branch at the food drive were:
Team Navy, which included Lt. Stephen Brown, collected 1,282 food items.
Team Army, comprised of Capt. Michael Sorrentino, Sgt. Andrew Gardo, Officers Thomas Webb, Tyler Doherty and Alexie Santiago; and K-9 Officers Colin Beaumont and Matthew Carney, collected 1,229 food items.
Team Marines, represented by Sgt. George Hummel, School Resource Officer Thomas Bammer III, and Community Relations Officer Jason Grozier collected 846 food items.
Team Coast Guard, which did not have a police department representative, collected 709 food items.
Team Air Force, comprised of Detective Chad Moyer and School Resource Officer Darvin Faust, collected 459 food items.
“It was a great day,” Morgan said.
“Reagan Kinney did an amazing job coordinating the food drive.”
Reagan Kinney, Parkland High School junior, is presented with a certificate from the state House of Representatives from Paige Riegner, legislative manager with state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-134th.
Parkland High School student Eshan Reed helps carry boxes of canned vegetables from a vehicle at the South Whitehall police and Travis Manion Foundation food drive at Parkland C.A.R.E.S. food pantry, Orefield.
Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong joins South Whitehall Township Police Capt. Jason Negron, Commissioners' President Christina “Tori” Morgan, Travis Manion Foundation Lehigh Valley 911 Heroes Student Director Reagan Kinney, Parkland C.A.R.E.S. food pantry Director Katrina Sundstrom, Paresh Kashalkar with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh of Lehigh Valley, Jay Rohatgi with Hindu Temple Society, Allentown Temple, South Whitehall Police Community Relations Officer Jason Grozier (back) Kira Schafer, South Whitehall Police Capt. Mike Sorrentino and Travis Manion Foundation Lehigh Valley 911 Heroes Director Holly Smith at the Nov. 18 food drive at Parkland C.A.R.E.S. food pantry, Orefield.
Paresh Kashalkar, with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh of Lehigh Valley, and Jay Rohatgi with Hindu Temple Society, Allentown Temple, donated about 1,500 pounds of food to the South Whitehall police and Travis Manion Foundation food drive Nov. 18 at Parkland C.A.R.E.S.
Holly Smith, director with the Travis Manion Foundation Lehigh Valley 911 Heroes, watches as Parkland High School student Brooklyn Vasquez of Breinigsville pushes a cart of food up a hill at the Parkland C.A.R.E.S. food pantry, Orefield.
Parkland High School students Jackie Sobota and Diane Cedeno push a cart of food donations through the parking lot at the Parkland C.A.R.E.S. food pantry. PRESS PHOTOS BY SUSAN BRYANT
Keagan Kinney of North Whitehall places Kraft Macaroni and Cheese onto a cart at the South Whitehall police and Travis Manion Foundation food drive at Parkland C.A.R.E.S.
South Whitehall Township Community Relations Officer Jason Grozier loads up his hands with bags of food Nov. 18 at the South Whitehall Township Police and Travis Manion Foundation food drive Nov. 18 at Parkland C.A.R.E.S. Food Pantry, Orefield.
Aubrey and Katelyn Brinton, Olivia Yeich, Annie Brinton and (front) Ben Brinton from the Coldwater Crossing neighborhood, along with their parents donated a van load of food at the South Whitehall police and Travis Manion Foundation food drive Nov. 18 at Parkland C.A.R.E.S. food pantry, Orefield.
South Whitehall Township Police Chief Glen Dorney helps carry a bag of food from a vehicle Nov. 18 at the South Whitehall Township Police and Travis Manion Foundation food drive Nov. 18 at Parkland C.A.R.E.S.
