Thomas Lynn | The Valdosta Daily TimesAt Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority's Stocked Cart Race, participants decorated and raced shopping carts through the Lowe's parking lot Saturday morning to collect food for Hungry at Home.

VALDOSTA — Racers took their marks at the starting line outside the Lowe’s parking lot for the Fourth Annual Stocked Cart Race food drive for Hungry at Home.

Eighteen teams participated Saturday morning by elaborately decorating shopping carts and racing them down a 50-yard stretch of parking lot. The event is put together by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority. 

It raises food for Hungry at Home, a local, non-profit program that sends backpacks full of food home with children who don’t have enough to eat. 

A pair of Lake Park Elementary School teachers started the charity after they realized some students were coming to school hungry because they weren’t getting enough to eat during the weekends. The teachers jumped into action, creating backpacks filled with food that children took home Fridays and brought back empty Monday mornings.

Teresa Parkerson, Hungry at Home director, said the Stocked Cart Race Saturday collected more food than any previous year. In past events, she said organizers only filled the back of a van with food. This year, organizers had to rent a trailer to haul the food.

“If you’ve ever had a little twinge of hunger, you know what it’s like to be hungry, but imagine feeling that way for a full weekend because you don’t have any food at home. That’s what we are here for,” Parkerson said. “I’m a former teacher, and I saw this with my own eyes. I couldn’t bear the thought of children going hungry, so I had to do something.”

She said the main goal is to eradicate childhood hunger in the community. Her biggest hope is one day Hungry at Home and the Stocked Cart Race event won’t be needed anymore. But until that day, she said she is happy to see the event growing.

Valdosta Mayor John Gayle and Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter attended the event and said they were pleased with how many people attended. Gayle said childhood hunger is an issue that needs more attention, and the event’s success will raise awareness.

Slaughter agreed and said he hopes more people will follow in Hungry at Home’s footsteps to make a difference. 

“The teachers at Lake Park Elementary recognized that there was an issue. That not all kids come to school with a good meal. This is an opportunity for them to really make a difference and help those kids, but also raise awareness so that others might follow their lead,” Slaughter said.

At the end of the event, J.L. Lomax Elementary School won fastest cart and also won most food raised with 663 items donated. Dewar Elementary School Student Council won best decorated cart with its Star Wars theme.

For more information, call Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority at (229)259-3507 or visit vlpra.com.

Thomas Lynn is a government and education reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be reached at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256