A group of Shaler Area varsity athletes gave up their Saturday to give back to the community that supports them.

On Saturday, Dec. 12, Shaler Area High School athletes solicited donations outside of the Kuhn’s Market, on Ferguson Road, to collect food items for the Shaler Area Backpack Initiative.

The Backpack Initiative provides child-friendly, single-serving snacks and easily prepared meals to students each Friday to provide a weekend food supply for students in need. This year's Shaler Area Backpack Initiative has grown to serve 250 children.

Shaler Area High School senior Julia Bernesser, a varsity volleyball player and varsity athlete on the indoor and outdoor track and field team, organized the Shaler Area varsity athletes’ food drive.

In the four hours of their drive, the high school athletes collected more than 1,700 individual items.

Bernesser hopes with the student athletes’ and community’s support the food drive can be a monthly project to benefit the Shaler Area Backpack Initiative.