The Babylon Rotary Club recently held a food drive, part of the organization's commitment to changing and growing. The Rotary is hoping that the food drive will stock local food pantries as the demand on these charitable pantries is growing rapidly under the current economic turndown.

On alternating weekends, once or twice a month, Rotarians go to a local Stop & Shop supermarket from 9 a.m., to 3 p.m. They ask shoppers to make a food donation and the generosity of the public was overwhelming, said organizers.

"Some people give us bags of food and taught their children to put food in the truck as a lesson in charity and awareness to the needs of others," said Rotarian Georgia Westcott, president-elect for 2009-10.

The group is also working with the Village of Babylon in the hope of having a farmer's market on Sundays in Babylon next summer.

For more information on Rotary and its programs, call Westcott at 631-661-8888.