Cheerio! - December 22, 2018 - Part One of the Food Bank Trilogy
I have the joy of volunteering as the Food Bank promoter and point person here are Green Valley RV Resort. And I love it. I am thrilled to find cans of pasta sauce and boxes of kraft-like dinner sitting on the deck to our trailer. I love it when I go the club house on Sunday morning and both food bank containers are full to the brim.
There are folks who - when they have a birthday or anniversary party in the ballroom – ask that attenders donate food and / or money to the Sahuarita Food Bank (SFB.) Last year when one of our park friends turned 100 years old, about $850 was collected and I cannot remember how many pounds of food – but it was enough to fill the trunk and back seat of our 20 year old Cadillac. And it takes a lot to fill that old boat!
Our push for November – based on the strong needs at SFB – was for pasta sauce. I asked our residents to get “Saucy!” And they did! Our goal was 100 cans – and by the end of the month we were at 91. I’m sure we are over that now. And a great grandmother from Canada sponsored us for 25 of them!
In December – the empty shelf was the kraft-like dinner one – so I put the call out for folks to get “Cheesy!” A wonderful mom of four up in Canada heard the world and donated $25 – which translates into 75 boxes of KD (store brand.) I am starting to lose count but as of a few days ago we were at 157 out of a goal of 200. It gets better. A man I would not know from Adam learned of our park’s mission and SFB’s needs, and offered $100 to knock the food drive right out of the park. Glory!
I asked our awesome food bank director, A, and the gal who stocks the pantry, B, what the greatest need was for January. One staple that is always in demand is cereal – both as a quick breakfast for kids on their way to school – and we want “our” kids fed and in school – and as a convenient supper for seniors on days when they’re not feeling their best.
A family very near and dear to my heart – from Canada – has started us off with a $25 donation. Their 8 year old is a keen fan of Cheerios – especially the sweetened ones – so on Wednesday, the hunt for the “kick off” bunch of boxes began. I’m calling the push “Cheerio 2019!”
I cannot stand shopping, normally, but when it’s for a great cause, I get maniacal. I had planned to hit the W*lM*art but, when I stopped at a different store for toilet paper (for us – though who knows what the March campaign will be?!) I noticed Cheerios was on sale $2.00 each. WHAT!? I asked one of the lads working there what the limit was and he told me it was four. It wreaks havoc with their stock otherwise. But I had $25 burning a hole in my pocket. I told him what it was for and he let me buy 12 and rang me through the checkout himself. Not because I’m important – I’m just one of thousands of snowbirds here in AZ. But because the CAUSE – feeding school kids and seniors – is SO important.
You know that Laur is going to get dragged into this somehow… When I got home, I thought it would be nice for the seniors in our RV park to see how much cereal can be bought with $25! So I asked Laurence to stack the boxes– which he did, very deftly I must say – in order to take a picture.
I wanted him in the pic, but he said, “With your picture taking skills, Janny, you might get a fine picture of your thumb or your nose.” True dat. But I looked and felt so tired and scruffy – going shopping does that to me – so I said that I would just peek over the top. He took a pic but thought it a bit blurry. “Don’t move!” he said, “I want to get another picture.” I moved my hand to stifle a yawn and – you guessed it - it all came tumbling down. Laur just said, in an exasperated voice “You really are Wreck It Ralph, aren’t you…”!? I concur.
At any rate, the goal for January is 50 boxes of cereal. At about $2 each, that’s $100 worth - and we are at 13 already, so I’m feeling pretty confident. Being a little OCD, I’m already thinking about our February food drive. The awesome folks at the Sahuarita Food Bank tell me they can never have enough crushed canned tomatoes.
Perfect. February is Valentine’s month. The campaign could be called, “My Sweet Tomato, I got a CRUSH on you!” OK, it needs a little work.
So does my initial idea for the March toilet paper campaign. The best I can come up with is “Great Scott!” But I’m open to suggestions. 😊
There are folks who - when they have a birthday or anniversary party in the ballroom – ask that attenders donate food and / or money to the Sahuarita Food Bank (SFB.) Last year when one of our park friends turned 100 years old, about $850 was collected and I cannot remember how many pounds of food – but it was enough to fill the trunk and back seat of our 20 year old Cadillac. And it takes a lot to fill that old boat!
Our push for November – based on the strong needs at SFB – was for pasta sauce. I asked our residents to get “Saucy!” And they did! Our goal was 100 cans – and by the end of the month we were at 91. I’m sure we are over that now. And a great grandmother from Canada sponsored us for 25 of them!
In December – the empty shelf was the kraft-like dinner one – so I put the call out for folks to get “Cheesy!” A wonderful mom of four up in Canada heard the world and donated $25 – which translates into 75 boxes of KD (store brand.) I am starting to lose count but as of a few days ago we were at 157 out of a goal of 200. It gets better. A man I would not know from Adam learned of our park’s mission and SFB’s needs, and offered $100 to knock the food drive right out of the park. Glory!
I asked our awesome food bank director, A, and the gal who stocks the pantry, B, what the greatest need was for January. One staple that is always in demand is cereal – both as a quick breakfast for kids on their way to school – and we want “our” kids fed and in school – and as a convenient supper for seniors on days when they’re not feeling their best.
A family very near and dear to my heart – from Canada – has started us off with a $25 donation. Their 8 year old is a keen fan of Cheerios – especially the sweetened ones – so on Wednesday, the hunt for the “kick off” bunch of boxes began. I’m calling the push “Cheerio 2019!”
I cannot stand shopping, normally, but when it’s for a great cause, I get maniacal. I had planned to hit the W*lM*art but, when I stopped at a different store for toilet paper (for us – though who knows what the March campaign will be?!) I noticed Cheerios was on sale $2.00 each. WHAT!? I asked one of the lads working there what the limit was and he told me it was four. It wreaks havoc with their stock otherwise. But I had $25 burning a hole in my pocket. I told him what it was for and he let me buy 12 and rang me through the checkout himself. Not because I’m important – I’m just one of thousands of snowbirds here in AZ. But because the CAUSE – feeding school kids and seniors – is SO important.
You know that Laur is going to get dragged into this somehow… When I got home, I thought it would be nice for the seniors in our RV park to see how much cereal can be bought with $25! So I asked Laurence to stack the boxes– which he did, very deftly I must say – in order to take a picture.
I wanted him in the pic, but he said, “With your picture taking skills, Janny, you might get a fine picture of your thumb or your nose.” True dat. But I looked and felt so tired and scruffy – going shopping does that to me – so I said that I would just peek over the top. He took a pic but thought it a bit blurry. “Don’t move!” he said, “I want to get another picture.” I moved my hand to stifle a yawn and – you guessed it - it all came tumbling down. Laur just said, in an exasperated voice “You really are Wreck It Ralph, aren’t you…”!? I concur.
At any rate, the goal for January is 50 boxes of cereal. At about $2 each, that’s $100 worth - and we are at 13 already, so I’m feeling pretty confident. Being a little OCD, I’m already thinking about our February food drive. The awesome folks at the Sahuarita Food Bank tell me they can never have enough crushed canned tomatoes.
Perfect. February is Valentine’s month. The campaign could be called, “My Sweet Tomato, I got a CRUSH on you!” OK, it needs a little work.
So does my initial idea for the March toilet paper campaign. The best I can come up with is “Great Scott!” But I’m open to suggestions. 😊