VVS senior builds food pantry for Silver City

SHERRILL, N.Y. >> When Adam Fellows went looking for a food pantry in Sherrill and couldn’t find one, he decided the best course of action was to make his own.

“Originally, for my honor society project, I went around Sherrill collecting cans and thought I’d be giving it to the Sherrill food pantry,” Fellows,

a Vernon-Verona- Sherrill High School senior, said. “Once I collected around 250 cans, I realized that Sherrill didn’t have a food pantry. It closed down.”

Fellows is required to do a senior project for his honor society that helps the community in some way. Stacia, his mother, said they learned the Sherrill food pantry closed down a few years ago. Not discouraged and not wanting all the canned goods to just sit around, Fellows said he donated what he raised to the Holy Family Church Food Pantry and decided to make his own food pantry.

“I went to a city planning meeting and asked the board of advisors if they wanted something like this,” Fellows said. “They all said yes and approved it, so I went ahead and made it.” It was a lot of work, Fellows said, from making the frame, building the door and painting it. Lowe’s of Oneida donated materials to help build, Fellows said, and Verona Councilman Ken Brewer gave a donation to help them cover other costs.

Fellows said City Manager Brandon Lovett took over once it was fully built and installed the food pantry box right across from the Sherrill Volunteer Fire Department outside of Plymouth Alliance Church. The six-foot-tall donation box sports the words “give what you can, take what you need”. Anyone in the community can donate and anyone in the community is welcome to it in their time of need.

The food pantry went up last week, Fellows said, and it’s already been filled more than once.

“I’ve seen a lot of things go in a lot of things come out,” Fellows said.

A sign on the side gives community members an idea of what they can donate, from canned fruits and vegetables to rice, soup, crackers and more. But other than that, the new Sherrill Food Pantry asks for any hygiene and sanitary items, diapers and wipes as well.

“I figured we’d need nonperishables but also any toiletries as well,” Fellows said. “I think a lot of people don’t think about it when they’re donating and just focus on canned goods.”

When asked how he felt after all the time, work and energy went into the pantry, Fellows said it all makes it worthwhile.

“I can help out the community and it will last, even after I go to college,” Fellows said.

Fellows said to his fellow students when doing a project like this, the key is to make it worthwhile.

“Don’t rush through it,” Fellows said. “Make it something that will benefit the community.”

CHARLES PRITCHARD - ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH VVS High School Senior Adam Fellows stands next to his food pantry in Sherrill on Friday.