Ambler Elementary collected a record amount of food during this year’s food drive for United Christian Ministries. Students from Elizabeth Fields’ winning class are pictured on the right in front of school counselor Claudia Long, from left back row, Faith Clarkson, Caitlyn Nicholson and Hannah Walker. Front row Ashton Horn, and Jakob Simpson.

PICKENS — Ambler Elementary students spent the week before Thanksgiving learning what it means to be thankful and to give to those who are in need.

Ambler students collected and donated 2,546 nonperishable food items for the United Christian Ministry of Pickens County’s food bank.

The total surpassed 2014’s donation by 1,100 items. The homeroom class that collected the most food items won a “Thankfulness Party.”

This year’s winner was Elizabeth Fields’ fifth-grade class. Her students collected 640 food items.

Ambler students learned that everyone involved are winners because they all played a part in making a difference in someone’s life this holiday season.