Number of Participants: 160
Hours Donated: 4
Value of Time Served: $22,266
Event Amount Raised: $1,300
Event Type: Hunger
Activity: Schools
School: Manchester Essex Reg. High School
Date: April 1, 2026
Location:
Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School
Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea
MA
About:
Earlier this month, spring sports teams at Manchester Essex came together to make a meaningful impact—packing more than 800 snack bags for Beverly Bootstraps to support local individuals and families in need.
Led by junior student-athlete Rory Gerhardt, the initiative began with identifying a critical need: snack bags for younger children served by Beverly Bootstraps this spring. What followed was a powerful example of student leadership in action.
With support from the school’s Boosters organization and the broader community, the team set out to raise $2,000 to fund the project. In just two weeks, they raised $1,300, which Rory used to purchase the supplies needed to bring the project to life.
On the day of the event, 160 student-athletes representing all spring sports programs joined forces. One group decorated the bags with messages of encouragement, while others worked assembly-style to pack more than 800 snack bags—all in just one hour. The completed bags were then picked up and distributed through the Beverly Bootstraps food pantry.
The effort was further supported by local generosity, including AVA Pizza, which donated pizza and muffins to fuel the volunteers throughout the event.
This initiative was more than just a service project—it was a shared experience rooted in teamwork, compassion, and purpose. It demonstrated how athletics can extend far beyond competition, empowering student-athletes to lead, give back, and create real change in their communities.
Projects like this continue to highlight the impact of education-based athletics, where students are not only developing skills on the field, but also learning the value of service, leadership, and community connection.
