Thanks to three volunteers from Champlain Valley Union High

The collaboration between the Charlotte Food Shelf and Champlain Valley Union High students began three years ago when food shelf director Peggy Sharpe contacted Amy Wardwell, advisor to CVU students who are committed to community service.

“I was able to attend one of their service meetings,” said Sharpe. “This began a wonderful partnership.”

“The students bring great energy, enthusiasm and joy and are very committed and reliable,” she said. “The ones highlighted in this article have been involved in many different aspects of our work over the last two years. It has been a pleasure to work with them, and we wish them success as they head off to college.”

She adds her gratitude, appreciation and thanks to all the students who have worked with and supported the food shelf and looks forward to continuing to have students as part of our team.So, in this issue we want to celebrate three CVU seniors who have given of their time and talent to help at the food shelf.

Charlotter Dylan Frere started working there at the start of his junior year. “My senior year I wanted to increase my involvement,” he said, “so I took one of the roles as a shopper, delivering food every two weeks to the food shelf. I kept coming back because of the fulfillment I felt knowing that I was giving back to those in need in my community.”

Frere plans to continue to volunteer in the future. “Volunteering is important because of the impact it can have on people’s lives,” he said. “Something as simple as a package of pork chops can make all the difference, and that means a lot to me.”

Next year, Frere is going to Bowdoin College in Maine, where he will play football — and continue to volunteer.

Nora Nelson lives in Ferrisburgh. She transferred to CVU two years ago. “CVU has been great for me,” she said. “I am so glad I switched.” For Nelson, volunteering has always been a part of who she is. “My parents raised me to give back,” she said. She has a good deal of experience volunteering in the past: for the Humane Society, for an organization that hosts free meals for the Vergennes community, as well as coaching K-2 lacrosse at the Charlotte Recreation Department, and more.

She first heard about the Charlotte Food Shelf through the CVU Volunteer Outreach Club. She worked at the holiday distribution in 2023 and really enjoyed it. She said food shelf director Peggy Sharpe said to her, “If you want to keep doing this, here are the days,” and Nelson signed up. “It’s such a good community of people,” she said, “between the volunteers and the people who come. I love it.”

Though college applications are a thing of the past, Nelson said she is going to keep working at the food shelf until she leaves.

“It is so beautiful how nice everyone is,” she said. “Everyone is so caring and understanding and grateful, both volunteers and the people who come. It’s such a positive, uplifting environment. It is so nice there is this option for people.”

Next step for Nelson is James Madison University in Virginia, where she will major in communications with a focus in public relations.

Henry Bushey lives in Charlotte and began helping out at the food shelf at a young age through the Charlotte Congregational Church, helping with the Little Free Pantry. This year, as a senior, he became a shopper for the food shelf. He said he loves service “because it’s a great way to meet people and make a difference in the wider community that has done so much to shape us as we’ve grown up.”

Bushey is passionate about baseball and has played for 14 years. He is also a sailor and loves racing sailboats of all sizes on Lake Champlain. Next step is the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland.

“I was drawn to the Naval Academy because it combines my passion for service with a team-central environment and has fantastic academics and athletics,” he said.

To these three superstar volunteers we give a standing ovation and wish them all the very best at college and beyond. Their generosity, passion, positive energy and hard work has really helped keep the food shelf strong. We will miss them. Thank you so much, Henry, Dylan and Nora! Best of luck to all of you!

We also want to thank Jocelyn Schermerhorn, Kathleen Nolan, Margaret (Meg) Berlin, Elizabeth Bassett and John Pane, Toni (Antonio) Holmes, Jeffrey and Irene Horbar, Barbara Levy, Hannaford (hunger bags) and the Red Onion for their donation of delicious pastries with thanks to Carol Clay who delivers them to us.

Our schedule:

• Wednesdays 4-6 p.m. and Saturdays 9-11 a.m. (second and fourth of the month, unless otherwise noted)
• Wednesday, June 11 and 25
• Saturday, June 14 and 28.

For applications for grant assistance, forms are available at the food shelf and on the website. Applicants must reside in Charlotte or North Ferrisburgh.

If you would like to donate to the Charlotte Food Shelf, you can use your PayPal account or your credit or debit card. If you prefer to donate via check, you can make checks payable to Charlotte Food Shelf, Inc. and mail to: P.O. Box 83, Charlotte, VT 05445. For more information, call 802-425-2402.

A convenient way to support the food shelf is to sign up for monthly donations through PayPal, which will allow you to spread your donations out over the year.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is a nonprofit tax-exempt organization. Gifts are tax deductible within the guidelines. You can also contribute by going to the website.

Also, for you gardeners out there: When you are planting your vegetable garden this year, think about putting in an extra row or two for the food shelf.

The food shelf is looking for additional drivers to pick up our Costco order at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Please email Nancy Bloch for more info.

For any other inquiries please email Peggy Sharpe.