Rotary's Grocery Grab Leaves ESSD Running

Christen Everett with groceries — *Christen Everett with all the groceries she collected during the Grocery Grab competition*

The Excelsior Springs Rotary Club held their second Grocery Grab fundraiser this Saturday, July 9, 2022 at McKeever’s Price Chopper. In its second year, tickets are sold prior to the event for a raffle drawing of six finalists that then have another raffle drawing chance to run the store. Approximately 175 tickets were sold this year. Finalists included Bryce Edwards, Seth Edwards, Rachel McKee, Brandee Soria, Sonya Morgan, and the Excelsior Springs School District. Price Chopper Store Manager Lura Pate drew the Excelsior Springs School District as the winner, who had Excelsior Springs High School Principal Christen Everett running for a local family in need.

Grocery Grab finalists waiting for raffle — *Finalists of the Grocery Grab raffle, from left to right: Brandee Soria, Rachel McKee, Sonya Morgan, Seth Edwards, Bryce Edwards, and Christen Everett*. All finalists received baskets with local goods donated by Blue Sparrow Lawn and Landscape, Kenny Manley Home Team – Re/Max Area Real Estate, City Economic Development Director Melinda Mehaffy, and Courtney Cole.

Christen in frozen foods — *Christen Everett runs through frozen foods grabbing goods as she goes*

Christen had five minutes to run the store and collect as many groceries as possible! Customers in the store stood back during the race to give her the space needed to quickly get through the store. She only had one minute at the meat cases and could only grab one cut of meat each! With a local family in mind, Christen went for items that would be good for a kids household, grabbing over six large jugs of laundry detergent, meat (including $70 brisket), chips, toilet paper, frozen foods, and more! In the end, the goods racked up $795.96 in total, which Rotary paid from a portion of the proceeds. Working with the district’s social worker, Kim Curtis, a local family in need was identified and gifted the groceries.