ABOVE: The Orphan Grain Train truck drops off boxes of food, which will be packed next weekend by volunteers, at the National Guard Armory in Fairmont. Submitted photo.

FAIRMONT — For its 17th year, Martin County Kids Against Hunger mobile pack will assemble its ‘hunger hero’ volunteers for its annual Pack Day from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the National Guard Armory in Fairmont.

“The event is a real revelation to people. It feels good to help someone that you don’t even know or never even met. But, you know you’re doing a good thing,” said one of Martin County Kids Against Hunger Chairs, Karen Sandhurst, who has been a packer and chair since 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Hundreds of volunteers from various areas and groups will take on different roles, packing 100,000 total fiesta rice meals hauled by Kids Against Hunger-Sioux Falls, S.D. The meals consist of soy, taco-flavored powder, black beans and rice, which can be prepared by adding boiling water.

According to Sandhurst, 28 (of 32) teams are currently registered to participate next weekend, with more expected to come in. With this number of people, Sandhurst is confident in the community’s ability to reach its packing goal, as they’ve met their $30,000 monetary goal for the food.

“We’ve had amazing support from all over the county and some outside of Martin County to help accomplish our goals. It says something about the compassion of the people here… [Pack Day] is a day of laughter and joy,” Sandhurst said.

When volunteers arrive at the National Guard Armory, they will get checked in, participate in a brief training, followed by sanitization and putting on hair nets. The Martin County Kids Against Hunger chairpeople, advisors and Kids Against Hunger-Sioux Falls, S.D. will be present to assist and supervise.

After packing, the boxes are very strongly predicted to be delivered, through Orphan Grain Train, to Chad, a country in central Africa. Because of the current political climate and civil war in Sudan, Chad serves as a sanctuary for hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees, more than half children under the age of 12. Sandhurst explained that this is the first time Martin County Kids Against Hunger has supported a country in Africa, and is happy to provide this relief overseas amid mass displacement and hunger.

“You know, mostly we have to look at it as we can put a dent in world hunger. We’re doing something about it,” Sandhurst said. “We do what we can do. It’s something [we] can do for someone who is suffering halfway around the world.”

Sandhurst shared that there is enough food on Earth to feed everyone, which has motivated many to support Martin County Kids Against Hunger. She agreed that in previous years, reception has remained constant, garnering more than 400 people to the armory per year, with many repeat packers and new faces. With the event fast approaching, Sandhurst looks forward to seeing weather conditions in favor of the event, and volunteers packing meals and carrying out the Kids Against Hunger mission to get nutritious food to those in need.

“I think if you get involved, you will have an appreciation for how good we have it, and how easily we can share our blessings,” Sandhurst said. “The Lord has blessed this project. God wants it to happen.”

The National Guard Armory is located at 700 North Fairlakes Avenue in Fairmont. Teams include 10 people; however, individuals without a team who are interested in helping can be assigned to a group or take on a different role during Pack Day. To formally register an individual or 10-person team and for additional information about the Martin County Kids Against Hunger Pack Day, visit kahfairmontmn.weebly.com. Kids Against Hunger accepts monetary donations as further support.