Members of the Omicron Zeta chapter of the Eta Sigma Alpha National Homeschool Honor Society glean apples. / Photo courtesy of Amye Shannon.

Amye Shannon shares this photo and says:

Members of the Omicron Zeta chapter of the Eta Sigma Alpha National Homeschool Honor Society recently participated in the gleaning of approximately 4,300 pounds of apples to help feed the hungry in the Roanoke Valley.

Gleaning is the traditional Biblical practice of gathering crops that would otherwise be left in the fields to rot after the commercial pickers have harvested the fruit for market. Students gathered apples that had fallen to the ground as well as those left on the trees under the direction of Sarah Ramey, regional director of the Society of St. Andrew. The Society of St. Andrew operates a statewide, volunteer-driven gleaning network in Virginia that coordinates with local farmers, thousands of volunteers, and food-providing agencies.

These apples were donated to the Christian Soldiers Food Pantry on Church Avenue in Roanoke. This food pantry serves approximately 8,000 residents of Roanoke and Vinton each month.

If you would like to volunteer to help your neighbors through this food pantry, please contact the director David Burgess at 540-420-1048.

Pictured, in no particular order, are Elizabeth Shannon and Mary Shannon from Salem; Meredith Collins, Andrew Norton and David Norton from Botetourt; Ben Cordle, Jonathan Cordle, Carson Farmer, Luke Giraudeau and Micah Giraudeau from Roanoke.

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