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Rotary Club aims to gather four tons of food for Open Pantry

Date: 11/17/2008

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW The plight of food pantries throughout the Greater Springfield area has been well documented, and that's why the Rotary Club of Longmeadow has decided to host a Thanksgiving Food Drive for the past four years -- to help the Open Pantry in one of its greatest times of need.

"This time of year is a time the pantry is maxed out," Rotarian Peter Benton said. "In the past, we've held our drive near the end of October, the beginning of November, but Nov. 22 is our day from now on."

Benton said he is one of the many people who loves Thanksgiving and sees it as "a good time to be thankful and think of those less fortunate." He continued that the food drive is a one day project that everyone can get involved with.

"Last year we had a record amount of food gathered -- two tons," Benton said. "We want to double that this year."

In addition to the one day food drive, taking place Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Longmeadow Shops parking lot, drop off sites in Longmeadow will be accepting donations throughout the week. These locations are the Hampden Bank at 475 Longmeadow St. and the Longmeadow Police Department at 34 Williams St.

"This is very helpful because we're very low on food," Candance Larger, program director of the Emergency Food Pantry of Open Pantry, said. "Hopefully, this drive will get us through the week until the [Rock 102] Mayflower [Marathon]."

Larger said currently, the only things sitting on the Emergency Food Pantry's shelves are canned green beans, corn and fruit. "There's no peanut butter, no snacks. We're desperate for tomato sauce, canned pastas, rice, dry milk and cereal."

Non-perishable food items will be collected at the Rotary Club's food drive, but items like milk and eggs can be dropped off at the Emergency Food Pantry at its location at 721 State St., second floor, in Springfield.

"The food collected on Saturday will most likely be distributed on Monday," Benton said. "We want everybody to give something. We're inviting our friends from East Longmeadow and Springfield to help out."

He added that the Rotary Club will be considering expanding their food drive to a mid-year event, since "the need is there."

"We get a great response," Benton said.

Anyone interested in organizing a food drive for Open Pantry can contact Larger at mailto:efp@openpantry.org or 737-5353.