Food for thought
Don Carter of the Washington County Farm Bureau, 4-H members and 4-H leaders pose last year after weighing in food and separating the food at the 14th annual Farm Bureau Food Drive to benefit the Greater Washington County Food Bank.
Members from Ten Mile 4-H Club separate food items at the 2016 Farm Bureau Food Drive at the Greater Washington County Food Bank.
The Stahlman family from Heart & Home 4-H Club separate food items during the 2016 Farm Bureau Food Drive.
Members of 4-H clubs throughout Washington County again have accepted the challenge in the Farm Bureau Food Drive.
Last year, 4-H clubs collected 9,567 pounds of food and supplies for the Greater Washington County Food Bank, accounting for more than half of the total 15,600 pounds that was collected during the food drive.
This year, the goal of the 15th annual food drive is 17,000 pounds of food.
“We’ve totally grown over the years,” said Don Carter, who, along with Heidi Hoffman, food bank donations director, are coordinating the event.
The food drive began Feb. 1 and will continue through the end of March, with weigh-in of the 4-H donations being held April 8 at the food bank in Centerville Borough.
“I think Don came to me eight years ago, and said the farm bureau was doing a food bank collection. We have a strong belief in community service,” said Pam Paletta, 4-H agent with Penn State Cooperative Extension. “The first year, we collected a couple hundred pounds of food, and we were happy with that.”
The 4-H club that collects the most pounds of food will receive a monetary prize. Last year’s winner was Vankirk Friendship, which collected 1,583 pounds of food. Hickory Ag was close behind with 1,569 pounds.
In addition to collecting food, 4-H members sort the donations, placing them in their respective boxes. Carter said there may be boxes for juices, or boxes labeled canned vegetables.
“You see cans flying all over the place,” Carter said. “It’s organized chaos.”
And like last year, food collected will benefit food pantries in the communities where the donations were received. For example, everything collected in the McDonald area will go to the McDonald Food Pantry.
“We are trying not to handle the food more than we have to,” said Carter, noting that food will be weighed at the individual collection sites before being transported to their respective food pantries.
There are 45 collection sites, quite an increase from the seven original sites. Among the new sites are Dollar General in Claysville and Middletown Tractor Sales.
“We are encouraging more businesses to participate,” Carter said.
Corporations that are hosting their own corporate food drives are MarkWest, 1400 apartment complex, Range Resources, Waynesburg University and Rice Energy, all at Southpointe; 84 Lumber; Smoke Valley Farm & Supply; FlexSys in Monongahela; Yoest Feed & Supply; Old Schoolhouse Players; and California University of Pennsylvania, both at its main and Southpointe campuses.
And like the 4-H Club Challenge, libraries also are holding a food challenge, with the library that collects the most pounds of canned goods receiving a monetary prize.
The food bank also welcomes cash donations, which enable the nonprofit organization to make bulk food purchases.
“I love the support we receive,” Carter said. “It’s a collective effort of a lot of people.”
• Avella Food Pantry – Avella Public Library
• Bentleyville Food Pantry – Bentleyville Public Library
• Burgettstown Food Pantry – Burgettstown Library, Burgettstown IGA
• California Food Pantry – California Public Library, Center in the Woods
• Canonsburg Food Pantry – Frank Sarris Public Library, Canonsburg Dollar General, Bahr Hardware, North Strabane Township Building, Washington Health Systems – Cecil office
• Charleroi Food Pantry – John K. Tener Library
• Chartiers Houston Food Pantry – Chartiers-Houston Public Library, Dollar General in Houston
• Claysville/Prosperity food pantries – Dollar General in Lagonda, Dollar General in Claysville
• Donora Food Pantry – Donora Public Library
• Eighty Four – Agway
• Finleyville Food Pantry – Dollar General
• Fredericktown – Fredericktown Area Library, Save-a-Lot in East Millsboro
• Marianna Food Pantry – Marianna Public Library, Log Cabin Fence
• McDonald Food Pantry – Heritage Library, Giant Eagle in McDonald, Midway Borough Building, Subway in Hickory, Dollar General in Hickory
• Monongahela Food Pantry – Monongahela Area Library, Cox Market, Sparkles by Shell • Peters Township Food Pantry – Peters Township Public Library, Goodwill on Route 19, Giant Eagle at Donaldson’s Crossroads, Heisler’s Market, Sun Chevrolet
• Washington food pantries – Citizen Library, Goodwill on Jefferson Avenue, Mike’s Feed Store, Ann’s Feed Store and Middletown Tractor Sales
• Washington County government buildings – Courthouse Square, first floor; Washington County Courthouse, first floor; Washington County Jail, lobby; Washington County Health Center, lobby.