Organized by Stop Hunger Now, an international hunger relief organization headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., the event furthered the effort to stop world hunger as students from State and member of the community came together to package meals to feed the world’s hungry.

Packages of food were flying through the air as students and community members worked as a team make this event flow smoothly.

Adam Cloninger, a junior in international studies, worked the second shift of Service NC State at 11:30 a.m.

“I was a team leader for the weighing station,” Cloninger said. “This is my fourth year doing it and every year I see the excitement and that excitement has increased in everyone.”

The ringing of the gong signified that 10,000 meals had been packaged and were headed out the door to go on the truck.

Cloninger said that it was a way for everyone to be able to get excited and that we reached a milestone in the packaging process. He added that it gave an idea of how much we had left and how much we had accomplished.

While the event took place on Saturday, many people volunteered Friday afternoon to help set up.

Sarah Compton, a junior in human biology, volunteered with a group of CALS Ambassadors.

“I was with a group of people that unloaded the different trucks,” Compton said. “The trucks were holding the different foods and rice containers.”

Compton was informed that all the volunteers loaded over 65,000 pounds of food into the gym.

Laura Brown, a senior in environmental technology, was another participant of Service NC State.

“I was a team leader and helped do the funnels, “Brown said. “So I was actually bagging the food in the packages.”

Brown said that everyone always has a lot of fun and that it’s usually a pretty powerful event.

“My favorite part is really just doing the packaging and when everyone starts getting into it,” Brown said. “At first it starts going really slow and then it gets fast and exciting.”

A big addition to Service N.C. State was that the volunteers knew where the meals were going.

“We found out the meals were going to Haiti and that kind of added to the event,” Brown said.

While the volunteers know the meals are going to the hungry, they do not always know the specific location.

“I’m glad we do Service N.C. State the first week of classes,” Cloninger said. “We can start the year off on a good foot and carry out service throughout the year.”