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Date: 12/9/2020
GRANBY – A Granby based camping and social club is reaching out to the community for help collecting food donations for those in need.
Bob and Suzanne Wright serve as treasurers for the Pioneer Valley Chapter 8 of the North American Family Campers Associations, or as the locals know it, the PV8 Camping Club. Bob explained that the organization “is made up of campers” and consists of “probably between 180 and 200 families.”
Typically, each year PV8 hosts the Springfield RV Camping and Outdoor Show. While the show was canceled this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, he said the organization was still hoping to reach the community through the Dec. 12 food drive. “Usually we host the outdoor show. That was cancelled this year, we want to get out in touch with the public,” Bob said.
Bob said the idea for the food drive came up during a meeting. “We were just together one night and it just came about. Someone brought it up and we thought it was a good idea,” he said. “PV8 is trying to make a difference in the community.”
On Dec. 12 at the PV8 Hall on 104 West St. in Granby, the organization will host a drive thru food drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bob said volunteers will be wearing “masks and gloves” and will have little to no contact with those dropping off donations.
He said those donating will pull up to the food drive where their donations will be collected by volunteers. “Whatever they have the donation in, a bag or box, we’ll gather that and people will be there with masks and gloves. And we’ll put them in boxes and deliver them to food banks,” he said.
Suzanne said the donations collected should be non-perishable and will largely go to food banks in “Granby, Belchertown, the South Hadley area and Chicopee.”