SPRING VALLEY — What began as a friendly competition between rival schools ended in a spirited collaboration of students, faculty, staff and alumni teaming together for a common cause: Collecting food for neighbors in need.

More than five tons — 10,012 pounds — of food was collected as a result of the Hall High School/St. Bede Academy Student Hunger Drive and is filling the shelves of Hall Township Food Pantry in Spring Valley.

“At first, it was fun to record pounds for the various schools and post results on our pantry windows,” said Jan Martin, director of Project Success. “But in the end, it didn’t matter who brought in how much. Filling empty shelves took priority. Together the schools packed the pantry, and we are most appreciative and humbled by the generosity of our community. On behalf of Project Success of Eastern Bureau County, facilitators of Hall Township Food Pantry – and those we serve, a sincere thank you to all who participated. Thank you to our trick-or-treaters who spent an evening collecting food for neighbors in need. If the results of this competition are an indication of the community-mindedness of today’s students, the future will be bright indeed.”