ROME TOWNSHIP — The competition is getting fierce as Fairland High’s students are collecting food items for this year’s student council Christmas food baskets.

The class that brings in the most items will get a pizza party later in the year. But the real prize is the sense of satisfaction the students get knowing that they are helping their own community.

“This year we thought we kind of wanted to give back to our own, give out to the families from the school district,” Mindy Clark, student council adviser and business teacher, said. “We are taking calls of need.”

Besides asking for non-perishable foods, the student council sponsored a variety of fundraisers from getting to land a pie in the face of willing teachers, to selling Fairland sport shirts to show school spirit at games. Those funds go to buy a turkey breast and ham, dinner rolls, two loaves of bread and a ready-made dessert. The student council works with Food Fair in Proctorville on supplying the perishable foods.

Seniors Alex Earl and Chase McDowell are following through on their idea to sell shirts to wear at the student section during games and will donate all profits to food purchases.

Right now Clark’s room is turning into a small version of a grocery store warehouse.

“There are cans of green beans, jars of peanut butter to brownie mix to noodles and rice and jars of jelly,” Clark said. “I let them use my room, but they put all the baskets together. They do all the work.”

Any family needing help with food this year and lives in the Fairland school district should contact Clark at the high school.

“A lot of times these kids who are on student council don’t realize how many kids in our district have a need,” Clark said. “We take it for granted. We have parents who buy us presents and have food on the table. We want them to do this because they want to do it. It is important to get the kids involved.”