The Rotary Club of Silverdale recently used funds raised from its annual Duck Race to purchase food for distribution to the Central Kitsap School District.

With students out of school closed until at least May 4 amid the coronavirus outbreak, many Central Kitsap students are receiving free bagged meals from the school district. Rotary recently saw the opportunity to help beef up the district’s efforts by purchasing food items and bagging lunches for students, to be distributed at the district’s pick-up locations.

“We’ve prepared food bags like this before, but this time it’s different,” said club president Christie Scheffer. “Now there is a sense of urgency, a sense that what we are doing is vitally important. We all feel connected to the community in a much deeper way.”

According to Steven Boe, Rotary Club of Silverdale’s president-elect, encouraged anyone who wishes to help share food with the rest of the community, that they bring their donations to the Central Kitsap Food Bank.

“Obviously, getting food to people is paramount, but there is also another aspect of this project that is critical,” Boe said. “It’s important for people to see groups such as Rotary out there being of service, to let people know that they are not alone. This is especially true in rural communities where homes are spread apart and people who are shut in for long periods can easily feel isolated and alone.”

Rotary Club of Silverdale is using the hashtag #ShutInNOTShutOut to spread the word that even though people may be separated, we are all in this together.