GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Saturday was a day of giving and outreach, as gas stations across the country, including the Speedway in Georgetown, hosted "Pack a Cruiser" events aimed at helping feed those in need.
What You Need To Know
- Georgetown Police held the Pack a Cruiser event on Saturday
- Speedway locations and the Georgetown Police Department partnered to support Scott County's Amen House
- Locals and those just passing through for gas helped pitch in
It was an opportunity to not only to fill up your tank, but to help fill the tables of those who are food deprived in Scott County.
"Speedway Corporate reached out to us about a food drive," Georgetown Police officer Ryan Hill said Saturday. "They're collecting non-perishable items for the AMEN House for donations."
Participating Speedway gas stations and 7-11 locations across the country teamed up with local law enforcement and food pantries as part of their Pack a Cruiser event. In Georgetown, local Speedway locations have collected food for the past month, teaming up with the Georgetown Police Department to Pack a Cruiser and support Scott County’s “Amen House."
"We're thankful for all of the avenues of food that come into the Amen House," said Michele Carlisle, Amen House's executive director. "But some of the most important, our direct community support and Speedway and Georgetown Police Department coming together to support that makes us able to say, no one should be hungry in Scott County."
One by one, bags of food donations packed GPD cruisers, as locals stopping by for a fill up and those just traveling through the area pitched in to make a difference.
"I think at Scott County we have some of the best residents in our community," Hill said. "You can see people are filling up the donation jar, my cruiser is almost full. It just shows what kind of community we live in."
Those contributing to this cause added up to 442-pounds of food that, combined with the monetary donations, will help the Amen House reach their goal of envisioning a hunger-free Scott County.
The generosity didn't surprise Carlisle.
"It is Scott County. You give Scott County an opportunity to give and be generous and take care of each other, and we do. So yeah, the cruiser is already full and we've got another hour to go," she said.
Hill said he and his fellow officers are always happy to work with the Amen House.
"They do such great things in our community and their effort to combat hunger in Scott County, we just saw this was a way to further help them get donations that they need," Hill said.
"Our community cares enough to make sure there's enough food at the AMEN House, always," Carlisle said. "So, if you know anybody who is battling food insecurities, we're the place they need to come. And this community is behind them."