The Community Center of La Cañada Thanksgiving Day Run and Food Drive, co-coordinated by Allied Waste and the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station and held Nov. 1 through Nov. 22, collected enough food to feed over 175 local families in need. The CV Sheriff’s Station will distribute the food in the coming weeks throughout the foothills community.

“The amount of food collected this year is staggering, which is fabulous because people more than ever are in need,” said Wendy Alane Smith, who coordinates the food drive annually.

In addition to the participation by businesses, Smith invited local elementary schools to take part. Students from Paradise Canyon, Palm Crest, La Cañada and Dunsmore elementary schools collected food for the drive.

“This year it will be wonderful to have all the kids in the community working together,” said Karen Stegman, principal of Dunsmore Elementary.

The response by the students was impressive.

“Eighteen boxes were collected [containing] about 700 items! It took three trips to deliver all of the food,” said Sam Picture, faculty advisor of La Cañada 7/8 Builders Club. “The winning homeroom is probably going to get some kind of dessert treat.”

In December, CV Sheriff collection bins will be placed around the foothills area kicking off the annual toy drive.

Smith hopes the community gets behind the toy drive effort as strongly as it did the food drive.

“Imagine the face of a child lighting up with a brand new toy Christmas morning,” she said. “If we all gave one toy, we could create a lot of happy children.”