Rather than with dollars and cents, three local children decidedto help a food pantry drive with door-to-door footwork in areaneighborhoods.

Madison and Fisher Warren, the daughter and son of Beck andAngie Warren, and Ellen Doty, the daughter of Don and Sally Doty,recently spent a couple of days making calls, sending letters andknocking on neighbors’ doors to ask for donations. Their effortsnetted more than 100 cans and boxes of food to benefit the HolidayFood Pantry fund.

“We decided to do this to help needy families have something toeat this Christmas,” said Madison Warren.

The children – Madison, 9; Fisher, 6; and Ellen, 10 – conductedthe drive over the Thanksgiving break from school. In all, theymade about 20 calls, sent out eight letters and visited about 30homes in their and family member’s neighborhoods.

“It makes me feel really good, and I’m glad we got a lot to giveto the families,” Madison said.

When the children wanted to do something to help others, AngieWarren said she saw the food pantry publicity in the newspaper andthought that would be a good way to do so. While children may nothave money, she said, the children learned that there are otherways to help and possibly could encourage other children to dosomething.

“They want to make this an annual event,” Warren said.

Pantry drive sponsors were impressed with the children’sefforts.

“This is wonderful,” said Bill Jacobs, DAILY LEADERpublisher.

The food pantry campaign began in November. Through Thursday,the effort had raised almost $1,600, plus the food donations, tobenefit food pantries at Brookhaven Outreach Ministries, St.Francis of Assisi/St. Vincent DePaul Ministries and Union HallBaptist Church.

The account at Bank of Brookhaven will be open until Dec. 17.Checks will be issued the week before Christmas.