Food pantry drive brings in $7,000

[December 07, 2011]  Jim Ash, WLCN station manager, said the annual food drive for the Lincoln/Logan Food Pantry brought in a huge total for the two-day event. In all, over $7,000 in cash, food donations and pre-sacked Lincoln IGA groceries were donated by the community on Friday and Saturday.

Ash said this was the seventh year of the event, and the system of allowing patrons to add money right to their bill as they check out makes everything go much smoother.

In the first few years, groceries were pre-bagged, and then shoppers could buy a bag and move it over to a truck waiting to take the groceries to the food pantry.

Now, whatever funds a shopper wants to donate are rung up and placed on the food pantry's account at the store. That allows pantry staff to purchase foodstuffs to fill gaps in what is needed and also gives them money to go to the Central Illinois Foodbank and purchase other items at discounted prices.

The event also allowed donors to have some fun. After donating food or money, they had a chance to spin a prize wheel with gifts from area businesses. They also were allowed to enter a grand prize drawing with almost $1,500 in items in the prize package. Ash said Mary Conrady was the lucky winner of the prize package.

Bill Overton, president of the food pantry, said he was again amazed by the generosity of the community. "We have received more donations of food and money this year than we have ever had before," he said.

The pantry can use the help, as total customers (as food pantry users are called) are up 20 percent over the last eight months of 2011.

Overton expressed his appreciation on behalf of all the volunteers at the pantry. "We are just so grateful and appreciative of all the support we receive in this community," he said. "It really is remarkable."

Overton also wanted to thank WLCN and IGA for putting on the event but didn't want to leave out any area business that was involved in helping support the pantry's drive. To that end, below is a list of the sponsors:

• Lincoln IGA

• Graue Inc.

• Jake's Furnishings 

• Universal Sports Lighting, Atlanta

• 5th St. Food Mart

• Notto Technology and Consulting

• KC Ultra Graphics

• Rick Hamm State Farm Insurance

• Curry's Weiners

• Lincoln Heating & Cooling

• Beck's Travel Plaza

• Culver's of Lincoln

• Bright Idea Screen Printing & Unique Gifts

• Vanessa at Blades Hair & Nail Salon

• Sun Loan Co. and Tax Service

• Brett at Blades Hair & Nail Salon

• Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce

• Lincoln Hampton Inn

• Eaton Corp.

• Little Caesars

• AAA Window, Siding & Roofing

• Anytime Fitness

• The Christian Village

• Dr. Alyssa Schneider Chiropractic Center

• Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County

• P & M Communications

• Seth Goodman at ME Realty

• Mary Todd's Gold Crown Hallmark

• Logan Lanes Family Fun Center

• Flowers & Things

• J. Park's Studio of Hair, Elkhart

[Text from Jim Ash, LDN]