10-year-old collects 400 pounds of items for food bank
Published: May 10, 2007
Junelle Lynch knocked on more than 200 doors in the Gayln Manor neighborhood of Brunswick in recent weeks.
Her mission: to collect hundreds of pounds of food for the Brunswick Food Bank.
‘‘I like helping people a lot,” said Junelle, who celebrates her 11th birthday in July.
With the support of her parents Jackie and Robert, Junelle walked the streets armed with an orange grocery sack and lots of determination. Following alongside her daughter, Jackie drives her black minivan so Junelle can empty her donation bag when it becomes heavy.
Junelle’s friend, Destiny Williams, helped the first night, but Junelle went solo the rest of the time.
Neighbor Lynda Mallory donated food to Junelle during her final sweep of the neighborhood last week.
‘‘This is a great cause, and we’re fortunate enough not to need food from an outside source,” said Mallory, who dropped noodles and canned soup, vegetables and fruit into Junelle’s bag.
After visiting the last house and looking at what she collected, Junelle said she felt good about what she accomplished with the help of neighbors.
Working an hour a night three times per week, she has collected more than 400 pounds of canned and boxed food.
This wasn’t the first year she’s collected. Junelle started nearly three years ago when, at 8 years old, she saw a collection box at a grocery store and decided to become involved.
At the time, the family had just moved to Brunswick from Loudoun County, Va.
In her first year, she collected 80 pounds in the mostly undeveloped neighborhood. The next year, she collected 214 pounds as the subdivision grew. Now, the Brunswick Elementary fifth-grader plans on collecting food each year to see if she can break the previous year’s record. Her parents couldn’t be prouder of their daughter and their neighbors.
‘‘They have made a big contribution to the community and been very generous,” Robert said.
Looking at the mounds of food her daughter collected, Jackie said her neighbors always trusted the bubbly, ambitious girl.
‘‘It amazes me that for her to be going door-to-door, people believed she’s doing it. Nobody ever questioned her,” she said. ‘‘I’m not surprised by all of this because Junelle’s always wanted to help people out. She’s thoughtful and special.”
Brunswick Food Bank volunteer manager Sandy Cox said the summer is its slowest time of year for donations and Junelle’s contribution will help feed several families.
‘‘This girl is amazing,” Cox said. ‘‘It was a wonderful and generous drive. We’re grateful to not only Junelle and her family, but the residents of Galyn Manor. Her contribution is greatly appreciated.”
The Lynch family met with Cox on Sunday to hand over the food and Cox said Junelle’s passion is an inspiration.
‘‘I find her to be an amazing young lady. I don’t think I’ve seen someone that young who cares about the needs of other people,” Cox said. ‘‘She has such passion for what she’s doing that you can’t tell her no. I wish other people would follow her pattern.”
Cox said Junelle’s collections will help feed the food bank’s 172 clients from the Brunswick, Knoxville, Point of Rocks, Rosemont and Petersville.
Cox said the Brunswick Food Bank depends on the generosity of people such as Junelle as well as church and civic organizations to keep its shelves stocked.
Junelle’s charitable contributions don’t stop with the food bank. Next year, Junelle plans to work with Brunswick Middle School’s student government association to encourage her fellow sixth-graders to grow their hair for two years to eventually donate to Locks of Love.
The nonprofit organization uses donations of real hair to make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to medical conditions.
When she isn’t helping her community, Junelle is a straight-A student who snowboards, plays trumpet, sings with the Brunswick Chorus, rides go-karts, plays on lacrosse, basketball and Little League teams and writes poetry. She plans on spending her summer vacation visiting family in Massachusetts and attending camps for basketball and theater.
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