LOCK HAVEN — Commonwealth University police departments at Lock Haven, Bloomsburg, and Mansfield recently held Thanksgiving Food for Fines events, in which parking tickets were forgiven in exchange for donated food items

At Lock Haven, approximately 40 campus parking tickets were forgiven in exchange for donated food items. Each forgiven parking ticket required a donation of five items, resulting in the collection of 200 items that were split equally between the Haven Cupboard campus food pantry for LHU students and the Lock Haven Salvation Army Food Pantry.

“One of the things that I wanted to do when I started at Lock Haven was to find a way to connect with the students on campus,” said Tim Stringer, LHU chief of police. “The Public Safety Department has done several collections and donations to the Haven Cupboard since I have been here at Lock Haven University.”

“This was such a creative event and we are so appreciative of the donations,” said Dr. Amy Downes, associate vice president for student success and campus life and also oversees Cupboard operations. “The Haven Cupboard loves the partnerships we have on campus and in the community. Our public safety department is one our biggest supporters and we are so grateful.”

LHU police also held its own department-wide donation drive to add to the items given to the Cupboard and the Salvation Army.

“Everyone in the department participated,” Stringer said. “The entire department realizes that we are part of the campus community.”

The Bloomsburg University Police Department collected hundreds of items that were donated to the Bloomsburg Food Cupboard and the Mansfield University Police Department collected 11 full boxes, donated to the Mansfield food pantry and the MU Cupboard.