Billy Treese knew there were people in need this holiday season and figured he could do something to help.

And, while it was initially more difficult that he anticipated, Treese and his Enumclaw roommates quickly found themselves with a room full of donated food.

With his campaign complete and donations safely delivered to the Kiwanis Food Bank, Treese prefers to focus on the positive aspects of his maiden voyage into the world of food drives.

“It was kind of eye-opening,” he said. “Out of every 10 homes, seven would put a bag of food out.” Some homeowners, he said, discarded the small, plastic bags he provided and filled larger bags instead.

The effort began when Treese noticed a collection box at the Enumclaw Wellness Center. After mulling their options, he and his roommates made up a simple flier and posted it Nov. 17 on every door in a four-block area near their home. A week later, as promised, the trio returned to haul off the goodwill offerings. They covered an area from Semanski to Pioneer streets between Griffin and Roosevelt avenues.

Treese was initially disappointed, learning that one-man efforts are viewed cautiously at best. It seems food drives are a bit more welcomed when sponsored as part of an established group.

But, in the end, all was good.

“I was just blown away,” Treese said. “If you give people an outlet to help, they really want to.”