Wiscasset Middle High School is pulling out some new stops for this year’s Turkey Thyme food drive. The student council is giving $200 to the grade that collects the most for the Thanksgiving dinners of about 10 WMHS families in need, council members and their advisor, technology coordinator Deb Pooler, said at the grades six through 12 school Monday afternoon.

Over bags full of turkey broth, stuffing mix, vegetables and more, Pooler and students said the cash award toward one grade’s Project Graduation, class trip, fundraisers, or other use is doing its job, adding to interest in the drive. “I think (it) has definitely stirred up some more conversation” and gotten class officers involved to help motivate the classes, Council President Cara Viele said. Her morning announcements have been noting the drive, and students said classes’ staff advisors’ rooms have the paper bags with fliers on them for the donations and as a daily reminder. 

“Two hundred dollars can go a long way, because (the classes) have a lot of things to pay for,” fellow senior Kaitlyn Main said.

The award is not all that’s new to try to maximize the haul. The council is stuffing the drive into 10 days, Nov. 15-25, instead of a whole month. Pooler said it still gets two weekends in, but hopefully helps students focus better on getting the items and bringing them to school.

Staff are helping, including raising money with a jeans day, Pooler said. And she said the public can donate food and funds as always to Turkey Thyme; drop off donations at the school, or email her at dpooler@wiscassetschools.org with questions or any ideas for other community service projects, she said. Programs like Turkey Thyme teach students empathy, Pooler said.

Sophomore Chance Blagdon joined the drive in eighth grade. “We’re helping people who aren’t as fortunate be able to have food, especially on Thanksgiving ... It’s us helping the community and understanding that we can do more than just something for ourselves.”

“It’d be great to get the community to come together for one goal,” Viele said.

The council is also looking ahead to Dec. 10 for another holiday tradition, its annual visit to meet with veterans at Togus, Pooler noted.

And Wiscasset’s younger students are also thinking of others at Thanksgiving. According to information Wiscasset Elementary School provided, Partners in Education (PIE) has been leading a drive there to give to a food bank.