Recently, the First Grade class of The Hill School visited the food pantry of Seven Loaves Services, Inc. in Middleburg to donate 194 pounds of food they had purchased with the proceeds of the children's fund-raising efforts.

The 23 children made and sold pumpkin bars before Christmas and used the money obtained to make a field trip to the Middleburg Safeway to purchase canned goods and other non-perishable items for Seven Loaves.

Led by Cate Donohoe and Joan McNaughton, their teachers, the children brought their offering to the pantry where it was weighed, followed by a restocking of the pantry's shelves by the children.

Afterwards, the children received a tour of the Seven Loaves facility by Melanie Maloney and Jim McLaughlin, Seven Loaves volunteers, and Maloney gave the visitors a brief presentation on hunger and food insecurity, and the efforts of Seven Loaves to provide nutritious food, personal supplies and other assistance to people in Middleburg and the surrounding area.

"We were delighted and honored to have a visit from these energetic youngsters," said Maloney. "They made our day."