WOODSTOCK, CONN. - For nearly a month, the crew of the U.S.S Charter Oak, the Eastern Connecticut Chapter of STARFLEET, the International Star Trek Fan Association, have been collecting non-perishable food items as well as pet food and supplies in the first-ever Fill the Shuttlecraft Food Drive for People and Pets. As a result, their donations to various non-profit organizations reached a total of 674.08lbs.
One of their larger pushes as part of this campaign took place on Sunday, December 4th for six hours where the crew collected non-perishable food items and pet supplies in front of the Killingly Commons Stop & Shop and Petco. The 181 pounds from this particular collection were donated to the Interfaith Human Services of Putnam’s Daily Bread Food Pantry and the Connecticut Humane Society in Newington, Conn.
“It’s exciting to be able to give back to the Northeastern Connecticut Community,” said U.S.S. Charter Oak Captain, Ryan O’Connor after the public collection. “Gene Roddenberry [the creator of Star Trek] spoke about a future where no one goes hungry. We hope the donations we received help make that bit of Science Fiction a reality for those who need it.”
Many other donations were collected and made by different members of the U.S.S Charter Oak to multiple Connecticut-based organizations including the Gemma E. Moran Food Bank in New London, Conn. in addition to each of the three locations of the Connecticut Humane Society. 16 toys were also collected and donated to Toys For Tots hosted by the Marine Corps Reserve.
STARFLEET International has been in existence since 1974, and is the oldest Star Trek fan group. The Fill the Shuttlecraft Food Drive for People and Pets is part of the organization’s national giving campaign that runs through November and December of each year against rival Star Trek fan group, the Klingon Assault Group. The U.S.S Charter Oak was founded as a chapter within Region 15 in January of 2022 gaining official chapter status in October that same year. The U.S.S Charter Oak has more than a dozen members representing Eastern Connecticut.