North Carroll Middle School now has a food pantry.
Every Thursday from 3:30 until 5 p.m., beginning Oct. 25, residents of the North Carroll community are invited to stop by the school, come to the food pantry and get the food they need to help provide for their families.
"We recognize that things have changed in our community ... that things have gotten tough. We want to make sure our students are fed so they can learn and we are also hoping that students will help run the food pantry so they will understand service," said Ruth Winsker, school counselor and food pantry coordinator.
The food pantry is being stocked by the Maryland Food Bank and for now the pantry contains mostly staples and nonperishables. Winsker said she hopes the pantry will expand as it takes off, perhaps getting a refrigerator to be able to provide fresh vegetables and fruit. Another goal is to offer gently used clothing in a couple of weeks so the pantry can become a one-stop shop.
North Carroll Middle will also receive help from other local schools in the North Carroll area, which will be having canned food drives and other fundraisers to help stock the shelves. "It's really nice how the community is getting involved," Winsker said.
The pantry is open to everyone, not just families with children. The only thing the school will ask for is name and number of family members. "We want to help families and support them, get them through ... the difficulty is getting people to feel comfortable and come in," Winsker said.
The pantry is to the right of the entrance of the school, by parent pickup near the gym.
North Carroll Middle School is at 2401 Hanover Pike, Hampstead.
For more information, contact Ruth Winsker or James Carver at 410-751-3440.
Beer and chili
Saint George's Episcopal Church will have a beer tasting and chili cook-off Saturday at its parish hall, 2434 Cape Horn Road, Hampstead.
The church has previously hosted two wine tastings but thought it was time to support its beer drinkers. "For wine tasting, we have a variety of foods that complement the specific vintage. When thinking about what goes best with beer, everyone said chili," Todd Lutton, event coordinator, wrote in an email.
There will be five beers for tasting and discussion: Harpoon Pumpkin, Flying Dog Octoberfest, Underdog Lager, SnakeDog IPA and Yuengling Porter.
"The beer presentation is being handled by Eric Cellitto, who owns Main Street Liquors of Hampstead. He donates his time, expertise and contacts and we all have a great time. For the beers, Flying Dog & Yuengling are local, and the area distributor will provide the interesting tidbits about all the beers," Lutton wrote.
Doors open at 4 p.m., beer tasting begins at 4:30 p.m. and the chili judging will begin at 6 p.m.
Admission for adults 21 and older is $20, which includes the beer and chili tasting. Your admission fee entitles you to one vote for the chili cook-off. It also includes a beer pilsner to take home. Admission for ages 10 to 20 is $10 and includes chili and soda, no beer. There is no charge for children younger than 10.
Call Todd Lutton at 410-635-3057 or email him at tlutton@aol.com for information or tickets.
