New River Valley Master Gardeners

Potato Drop time! Come be part of a community activity for families, students (need volunteer hours?), and folks of all ages and abilities to support food banks across our area and beyond. Join the NRVMG Glean Team in action!

Dates: November 15th and 16th

Location: Montgomery County Christmas Store in Christiansburg, VA 24073. Park in the parking lot across the street from the store nearest the Lewis Gale physician building.

The potatoes will arrive by semi truck in pallets of 50-lb bags. We will open 50-lb paper bags of potatoes and rebag them into 5- and 10-lb amounts. We may be outdoors so dress for the weather! You should bring some old gloves you do not mind throwing away afterwards if they get too dirty.

Check the weather carefully, and wear older clothes or a cooking apron to keep your nicer clothes clean. We will be standing so wear comfortable shoes. You might want an old dry rag to dry your hands and wipe off wet potatoes.

Sign a volunteer form when you arrive, and fill out a name tag. We can sign student volunteer hours forms if you bring them with you. Check your phone texts and email in case of last-minute changes.

Jobs include: sorting good potatoes into 5- and 10-lb amounts, inventory/counting/organizing potatoes into piles to be loaded, cutting/tying red mesh bags, and loading 5- and 10-lb bags into shopping carts or vehicles. No one needs to do heavy lifting, but some volunteers may choose to lift 50-lb bags.

Contact John at 540-392-1184 or jmg1@vt.edu with questions