Volunteers, donations for food drive

by Diana Zimmerman

The organizers for the Food for Friends Food Drive are looking for volunteers and non-perishable items this Saturday, September 20.

The Food for Friends Food Drive was coordinated by the Hunger Relief Task Force, WSU Extension Office, Health and Human Services and representatives from several local churches who were concerned about hunger and food insecurity in Wahkiakum County.

The food drive will benefit five services in Wahkiakum County. They are the Wahkiakum Food Bank, Helping Hand Food Bank, St. Catherine's Church/St. Vincent de Paul, the GAP program and the new Westend Food Bank, which will serve residents from KM to Naselle.

Volunteers will meet for a welcome and coordination set to begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning in two places. If you are a volunteer on the west side of the KM summit, you will meet at Johnson Park in Rosburg. Volunteers east of the KM summit will meet at the Elochoman Slough Marina.

At the welcome, bags and maps will be distributed to volunteers, who will go out into the county to knock on doors and ask for food donations until 1 p.m.

More volunteers are needed to receive and sort the donations. Westend donations will be taken to Oakies Select Market in Naselle and donations from the east side of the county will go to the River Street Meeting Room at 25 River Street.

All the food collected west of KM will go to the new Westend Food Bank. Food collected east of KM will be evenly divided between the Wahkiakum Food Bank, the Helping Hand Food Bank, St. Catherine's Church/St. Vincent de Paul and the GAP program.

For people who are unable to volunteer or donate items on Saturday, there are other ways to give to the food drive. An account has been set up at the Bank of Pacific for monetary donations. Checks should be made out to "Food for Friends-Wahkiakum Food Banks." The account will be closed on October 1 and the money will be distributed equally among the five beneficiaries.

Collection sites have been set up at Gragg's General Store, the Cathlamet Market, the Cathlamet Post Office and inside the Skamokawa Resort General Store.

"Look for the giant grocery bag identified with the Food for Friends logo," Volunteer Sue Garn said in an email.

If you have questions you can contact Suzie Whalen, Chairperson of the Westend Food Bank and the contact for the Westend portion of the event at 360-795-3278. Contact for the east side of the county is Sue Garn, 360-747-1772.

Volunteers are needed for the set up of the event as well.

"Anyone can volunteer!" Garn exclaimed. "There is a job for anyone who wants to help.

"If you drive, but can't walk, you can help collectors by following them and providing a place to put the collected food as they continue to walk and collect.

"If you want to walk, there are many residences that we need your help to reach.

"Families are encouraged to walk and collect together. Friends are encouraged to do the same. If you want to walk and collect and are an individual - we will put you with a partner and off you will go."