The food drive by Wangen Prairie Chuch for the All Seasons Community Food Shelf in Kenyon finished at the end of March with a flourish. Originally, organizers were hoping to raise food donations from the community totaling 1,000 pounds. But that goal was exceeded at the end of four weeks, on March 23, when the total topped 1,088 pounds. So the goal was upped to 1,200 pounds. But on Easter weekend, an additional 285 pounds of food was contributed, bringing the month end total to 1,373 pounds! It literally “blew the top” off of the Church’s thermometer poster, pictured in the adjoining photo.
All this activity was going on Saturday mornings at the Kenyon Market. Church volunteers, on Friday nights, prepared approximately 50 bags of the specific groceries sought by the Food Shelf, in packages costing approximately $10, $15 or $20, which shoppers could just put in their carts and pay for at the checkout. Extra bags were placed on the front counter at the Market so shoppers could purchase them during the week.
Pete Wagner, the manger at the Kenyon Market, and his staff (some of whom are pictured in the adjoining picture) were a huge help in this effort. They posted signs advertising the food drive, and every week made sure to order all the food necessary to prepare the prepackaged bags which were assembled on Friday nights. All the staff at Kenyon Market were enthusiastic boosters of the food drive, welcoming the Wangen Prairie Church volunteers every Saturday morning as they invited shoppers to purchase one of the prepackaged bags.
Now the Church will be purchasing an additional 1,373 pounds of food from Kenyon Market to accomplish their “pound for pound” promised match. All of the food is to be piled up on the church altar before being delivered to the Food Shelf, demonstrating one of the Church’s mottos: “ We are blessed, in order to be a blessing to others”. Congratulations to Kenyon, and thanks!
