Photo by Bill Croney, The Northfield News The Norwich NROTC Naval Battalion collected over 2000 non perishable food items for CERV over a 30 day period. The Donation proved too large for CERV to store so the Cadets needed to use the Norwich Dining Hall storage facility temporarily. Naval Battalion cadets and their advisors participated in the food drive. Pictured from left, Cadet Major Nathaniel Hudak, USMC S/Sgt. Anthony Cox and USMC Sgt. James Robbins take a break before moving the food into the dining hall storage room last Tuesday. The 443 cadets of the Norwich Naval Battalion held the most successful food drive in their history at Norwich last month.

In the 30 day event the cadets and their advisors collected over 2,000 non perishable food items for the local CERV food shelf.

"We are really happy to do this," said Marine Staff Sergeant, Anthony Cox, one of the Naval Battalion's advisors. "We think it's great to give back to the community."

There was one small problem, however. The battalion collected so much food that the CERV food shelf didn't have room for all of it. So the cadets had to search around for a place to store it temporarily.

They were able to put the food in the SODEXO storage facility at the Norwich Dining hall. The food will be taken to the Food shelf in the Town building on south Main Street to be distributed.

The Cadets turned the food drive into a competition of sorts. The drive pitted the Marine cadets against the Navy Midshipmen with the prize being a day with no P.T. (Physical Training). The Marine cadets won the competition but that wasn't the best part for Marine Cadet and Norwich cadet Major Nathaniel Hudak.

"It was great to win the competition with the Navy, but the most rewarding part was being able to help the local community," he said. The cadet also added that he hoped their efforts would help out with some local Thanksgiving dinners.