OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Tuesday’s election attracted a steady stream of voters, and there was one effort that attracted people from both sides of the aisle.

The Loranger Memorial and Old Orchard Beach High School Interact Clubs, the local youth Rotary clubs, were stationed at the Old Orchard Beach High School parking lot Tuesday with a recreation department bus strategically parked in view of the steady stream of voters coming in and out of the school.

The students, with their “Stuff the Bus” effort were collecting non-perishable food items and cash donations for Old Orchard Beach Community Food Pantry.

The food pantry was not aware of the students’ effort and the club was going to surprise pantry organizers with the collected donations, said Loranger Memorial School English teacher and Interact Advisor Nikki McDonald. 

“They don’t actually know we’re coming,” she said. 

School was canceled Tuesday, and students were taking time on their day off to staff the collection in shifts from 7:30 a.m. until the polls closed, said McDonald. 

“I just want to help out the community because we’re a small town and have to look out for each other,” said Eighth Grader Brady Connors, who was pitching in on the effort Tuesday afternoon.

On Friday, school will be closed for Veterans Day, and some students will be wrapping up crutches area rotary clubs collected to send to Africa, and some will be volunteering their time at the Bon Appetit community meal program in Biddeford. 

“We have a lot of good kids who want to do a lot of good things,” said McDonald, praising their energy and enthusiasm. “They keep me going,” she said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.