HICKORY, N.C. ― Not all college students eat all the meals they pay for in their meal plan. But two Lenoir-Rhyne University students came up with a generous idea to get their money’s worth.
Quinn Scarvey, 22, of Salisbury, and Simone Anderson, 22, of Boone, realized they each had more than 100 meals left on the plan as graduation approached this week.
Scarvey suggested a donation to the Hickory Soup Kitchen and Lenoir-Rhyne Food Service Director Chad Young thought it was a good idea.
“I was delighted he was so on board. It was really refreshing,” Scarvey said of Young’s support.
Scarvey and Anderson walked with a group of people from the soup kitchen to the school cafeteria Wednesday.
The group from the soup kitchen enjoyed everything from the salad bar and deli to turkey breasts with cornbread stuffing and pizza.
Austin Pearce, executive director of the Hickory Soup Kitchen, was also pleased.
“This is a pretty unselfish act by two students about to graduate from college and who probably will not live in Hickory,” Pearce said. “It’s a source of inspiration to see them reach inside and be creative. It’s wonderful when people do that.”
Pearce said the soup kitchen served 80,819 meals last year.
“I wish we’d thought about it sooner,” Anderson said. “Maybe somebody can continue it next year.”
