NEW SHARON – A community-wide challenge to collect a ton of food for the Clearwater Food Pantry by Saturday has taken off, said organizer Pastor Karen Garcia of the New Sharon United Methodist Church.

The town will celebrate New Sharon Day on Saturday and two pastors from town churches pondered how to take part.

Garcia and the Rev. Marcia Charles of the New Sharon Church of Christ (Congregational) decided they could “love our neighbors by collecting food for the food pantry,” Garcia said Monday.

Giving the community something visual to think about, she added, they decided to collect a ton of food.

“If just 200 people will donate 10 pounds of food each, we will make it,” she said. Garcia introduced the idea during a worship service a month ago, showing the congregation displays of what 10 pounds of food would look like, she said. A bag of potatoes, a bag of flour and one of sugar, jars of peanut butter and jelly or 10 to 12 cans of peas and corn add up to 10 pounds.

She then encouraged the congregations to check with family, friends and coworkers to see if they will help.

So far, parishioners have already raised about 500 pounds of food and cash for the Clearwater Pantry, which serves Industry, New Sharon and Chesterville. The Rev. Charles, who also leads Shorey Chapel, is a member of the board of directors.

The Clearwater Pantry is located in the old fire station in West Mills, Route 148, said President Pauline Oakes and is open from 9 to 11 a.m. Mondays and from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays or by calling Oakes at 778-4523 as needed.

“A ton of food would be nice,” she said of the campaign for the pantry. While supplies are good at the moment, the pantry has over 100 families on their records, although not everyone comes every month, she said.

If people can’t purchase food to give, cash contributions are also being accepted, and Garcia she spoke about already collecting $250 in checks.

She said each dollar given counts as a pound of food, since food banks associated with the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn can purchase $7 worth of food for each dollar contributed, she said.

Their challenge has prompted people to be creative.

“One member of our congregation owns a golf course. She offered reduced prices to play if golfers would donate 10 pounds of food. She came to church yesterday with 40 pounds and said more is coming,” Garcia said.

In addition to the two churches, the Masons and Eastern Star clubs are also collecting food, she added.

Garcia and Charles will have a booth during the town’s activities Saturday from about 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or later at the Church of Christ, she said. People are welcome to stop by Saturday with donations or leave them at either church until Saturday.

Checks made out to the Clearwater Food Pantry may be mailed to New Sharon UMC, 177 Weeks Mills Road, New Sharon, ME 04955.

“Some have asked what if we don’t make our goal, but I go by the philosophy … we’ll still have collected more for the food pantry then we had before,” she said.