Knights of Columbus Bag 11,000 Pounds of Potatoes for Local Nonprofits

Volunteers turned out early on a Saturday morning to bag about 11,000 pounds of potatoes for the St. Hubert Knights of Columbus Council’s annual potato drive.

For 25 years, the St. Hubert council has hosted this bagging event. Volunteers pack the potatoes that are then loaded into trucks and distributed to local nonprofits across Whidbey Island.

Among the beneficiaries selected for the program this year were St. Hubert Catholic Church in Langley, Whidbey Island Nourishes, Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland, Queen-Bee Pantry, South Whidbey at Home, Ryan’s House for Youth, and Good Cheer.

Maple Wood Farm in Mount Vernon donates the potatoes to the council each year, while Hanson’s Building Supply transports them to Langley for bagging. Charlie Childs, Knights of Columbus council treasurer, deputy grand knight and chairperson for the annual event, said the group received about 11,000 pounds of potatoes from Maple Wood Farm.

Childs highlighted that the event relies on the collective support of fellow Knights of Columbus members, St. Hubert parish, and members from other local churches who showed up to help.

Childs pointed out that rising costs for everyday essentials have made the demand for food assistance increasingly urgent. Because of this, he said being able to help struggling families is a major highlight of the event, especially as Thanksgiving approaches.

“We don’t necessarily see who receives them on the other end,” he said, “but knowing that it’s going to families on the island that are in need, that’s the best part of this whole thing.”

John Joynt, the grand knight for the St. Hubert Knights of Columbus Council, said that food serves as a universal unifier crossing religious, ethnic, and economic lines, and he pointed out the diverse array of groups slated to receive potato contributions this season.

“We’re all tied together in that regard,” he said. “People feeding people.”