For most West Virginia University students, the month of November heralds a much awaited break from school for Thanksgiving. But for some students, this time of year also brings an opportunity to give back to the community.

Students in classes taught by Toni Morris and Ruth Kershner, faculty members in WVU s Department of Community Medicine, brought together food items to donate to Scotts Run Settlement House for its annual Thanksgiving Baskets food drive. The Drive is aimed at providing an entire dinnerfrom cranberries, to potatoes, to turkeyto families in need.

In all, 34 food baskets and 10 additional boxes of food were collected by the students in Morriss First Aid&Emergency Care classes, and Kershners Elementary School Health, Introduction to Community and Public Health, Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, Health of the Individual, and Womens Health and Fitness classes.

The service learning project helps to inform students about both the needs of the community and the agencies working to provide services, Kershner said. The food will be presented to Scotts Run Settlement House Thursday, Nov. 16, at the WVU Health Sciences Center.