The Detroit Lions will face off against the Buffalo Bills this Sunday, but the real star at Ford Field won’t be on the field—he’ll be in the stands, and he’s just 9 years old.
His name is Mason Bonds, a student from Pine Knob Elementary, who won a school-wide food drive competition by collecting 411 cans of non-perishable items to support families in need—the highest total from any student.
“I couldn’t hear my name when they called it because everyone was cheering,” said Mason. “But I knew it was me when someone came in and handed me the ticket to the Lions game.”
Mason earned three tickets to this Sunday’s Bills-Lions game, his very first game ever. While he’s excited to attend, he says it feels even better knowing he helped those who are struggling.
“I hope people who have enough will give to those who need it,” he said.
The collected donations are stored at Calvary Lutheran Church in Clarkston, before being distributed by Lighthouse to hundreds of families in Oakland County. The success of the drive isn’t just thanks to Mason, but also the entire school rallying together.
Katrina Rivenburgh from Driven Engineered Solutions, who partnered with Lions’ player Jahmyr Gibbs for the drive, mentioned that the students gathered over 9,200 items, weighing in at more than 6,000 pounds of food and supplies.
“We collected cans, boxes, and even health and beauty products like shampoo and body wash,” said Rivenburgh. “Many students made flyers, went door to door, and worked hard to contribute.”
Mason had a lot of fun with the drive, but now he’s eagerly anticipating the game. His favorite player is Jahmyr Gibbs, and he already knows exactly what he wants to say when he meets him on Sunday.
“I’m going to ask for an autograph,” Mason said.
