Curves in Berkeley Springs collects 2,643 lbs. of food for local charity

by Kate Evans

Curves in Berkeley Springs collected 2,643 and 3/4 pounds of food during a March food drive for the Morgan County Interfaith Emergency Care (MCIEC) food pantry. They also donated four big boxes of baby supplies to the Starting Points Family Resource Center.

Local Curves members brought in non-perishable food items such as canned vegetables, crackers, juice, peanut butter and jelly, baby items, cleaning supplies and other staple items that are used in the home all the time, said Connie Cox, owner/manager of Curves in Berkeley Springs.

Curves in Berkeley Springs had a goal of 2,000 pounds of non-perishable food items. They were ecstatic that they exceeded their goal by 643 pounds, she said.

The local Curves food drive was part of a national March food drive by Curves across the county for local food pantries, said Cox. It is the ninth year of the national Curves food drive.

Some 11 million pounds of non-perishable food items were collected by Curves members nationwide last year. The national goal this year is 15 million pounds of food, said Cox. They'll know the grand total of pounds of food collected in Curves across the country on April 17.

Curves in Berkeley Springs has around 450 members, said Cox. The March food drive was done through existing members and new members that joined throughout the month of March, she said.

The stacks of food and baby items donated by local Curves members were massive and lined the side of the club and the hallway.

"There's a lot of generosity in our club. Our ladies can do big things in here," said Cox.

Members who worked out 12 times during the month and who also donated a bag of groceries receive a prize, she said.

A crew of Curves ladies volunteered to deliver the food and items to the Morgan County Interfaith Emergency Care (MCIEC) food pantry, she said. Everyone always bands together at the club to help out, said Cox.