As Thanksgiving approaches, many individuals think of all the reasons they have to be thankful and they start to think of ways they can help others.
The Sedalia Young Professionals is an organization dedicated to fostering local community engagement in Sedalia and Pettis County.
They recently began their second annual food drive to benefit the Open Door Ministries Food Pantry.
“Everything we do and collect here stays in the local community,” Abby McMullin, community engagement chair for the group, said. “It’s really amazing how the community members here just give without having to be asked; they are so willing to help.”
The group began their campaign Thursday night at Walmart.
“Last year we collected 800 pounds of food, so we are hoping for more success this year,” Army Staff Sgt. Lee Whited, vice president for the Young Professionals, said. “One of the things we really believe in as young professionals is trying work to better our community and help people here at home.”
The Young Professionals is a group of about 25 businessmen and women who, according to the group’s website, either pay dues or are employed by a company that is a member of the Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce. Members range in age from 21 to 40 and are involved in a number of civic projects.
In the past, the group has packed school supplies for CACTUS and volunteered at the Center for Human Services and the Queen of the Prairies Festival of the Arts.
The members will be at Walmart again from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday to collect additional donations of nonperishable food items.
“We also are more than happy to accept monetary donations that we give to Open Door as well,” McMullin said. “They are really beneficial to them because they can purchase a specific item of need.”
The employees of Sierra Bullets are sponsoring an internal food drive, which will be donated to Open Door on behalf of the Young Professionals.
“We also have a box at Reader’s World in the State Fair Shopping Center in case people would like to donate at that location,” McMullin added.
Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation or a nonperishable food donation may do so by directly taking the items to either Walmart or Reader’s World or the Open Door Ministries Food Pantry, located at 111 W. Sixth St.