The Butler Lions Club presented Moniteau School District with a check for $6,000 to help fund the creation of a greenhouse at the junior/senior high school. From left are Mike Winkler, Lance Fox, Tom Samosky, Micheal Panza, Bryan Dean, Aubrie Schnelle, Jeff Campbell, David Schultheis, James Willison, Chip Campbell, Connie Ivill and Don Gibala.

When stocking food boxes that will be distributed through the Moniteau Food Pantry, Wendy Hazlett tries to ensure a healthy balance to the contents.

While the contents change from week to week, Hazlett said she normally tries to include a fruit, chicken or beef, eggs, macaroni, spaghetti, bread and cereal for the people who need help.

Starting in the fall, Hazlett will be able to add more fresh vegetables and produce to the boxes because Moniteau Junior/Senior High School is building a greenhouse where students will tend to plants to help stock the pantry.

“It will be great, and people would love it,” said Hazlett, the coordinator of Moniteau Food Pantry. “We get government help from the county and I get things grocery shopping, but the greenhouse is going to really help.”

Educational tool

Moniteau superintendent Tom Samosky said he has wanted to build a greenhouse at the junior/senior school since last February. The greenhouse would serve as an educational tool for students in the vocational agriculture program, and it would benefit the local community through the food pantry, Samosky said.

“We recognize there is a substantial need for this project,” Samosky said. “It would show our students not only about service, but how to prepare themselves for future careers.”

According to Samosky, the greenhouse project will cost about $25,000, but it has been entirely funded by donations. On Thursday, the district received $6,000 from the Butler Lions Club through a grant from the Pennsylvania Lions Foundation.

“Hunger was definitely one of the focuses of Lions International,” said Mike Winkler, secretary of the Butler Lions Club. “It was clear that (the greenhouse) was something that would be a benefit, and Tom was very passionate that it was something that would really benefit the school district.”

The project also received donations from Renick Brothers, CJL Engineering, Clarion Electric, Pennsylvania Roofing Systems and Parker City-Allegheny Valley Mason lodge.

Samosky said that construction of the greenhouse should be completed by the end of next month. About 30 students a year in grades nine through 12 will use it for classes, according to Samosky.

Good partner

Samosky also said the Moniteau Food Pantry has always been a good partner to the school district.

“They serve about 150 individuals a month, and we recognize some of those could be some of our families,” Samosky said. “They have been great support for our backpack program, and provided our kids with food for activities.”

The Moniteau Food Pantry operates out of the Concord Presbyterian Church.

Hazlett said orders can be requested by leaving a message at 724-894-2338 on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Hazlett said she is looking forward to getting greens from the greenhouse.

“We'll be able to use a lot of it for our clients,” Hazlett said.