From left, Troop 362 Scouts Kaleb Smith and Ryan Steward unload donated food from a truck Saturday during the Community Holiday Food Drive at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Boy Scouts and community members helped pack donated food for families in need this Thanksgiving.
Local Boy Scouts dropped off bags of food donated from all corners of Benton County so quickly Saturday morning that at the Community Holiday Food Drive's peak, they created a mountain several feet high and weighing roughly 25,000 pounds.
“It’s pretty awesome to see that every year,” said event head Judy Gibson. “This is a great community and it’s amazing when you see that because it shows you how much people give and care for each other. It’s a really good feeling.”
Over the next several hours, dozens of Boy Scouts and service groups dropped off and sorted through 30,000 pounds of food set to be distributed to more than 1,400 families this Thanksgiving as part of the annual Community Holiday Food Drive. In addition to the donated food, organizers expect to buy an additional $30,000 in food items.
In total, more than 48,000 pounds of food will be placed in 400-plus boxes and given to hundreds of families and individuals in need at the 36th annual Community Holiday Food Drive distribution day, on Monday, Nov. 21.
“I think being a part of this is actually perfect timing, at least for me, because after the election, people have been very divided, and I think that it’s really important that we do all come together,” Gibson said. “Being a part of this makes you feel like there is hope that we will.”
Scouting food coordinator Roy Severin said Saturday’s event and the annual Community Food Drive would not only help the hundreds of families in need, but it likely did much for each of the more than 40 scouts involved in the community service project.
“With the kind of country that we have that’s so divided, I think people are more isolated than they used to be,” he said. “Something like this, where we get to see the best of community interaction, is going to be important in the coming years, because we’re reminded of the value of being involved and helping out in the community.”
Susan James, gleaning programs coordinator for Linn Benton Food Share, said she was impressed to see every volunteer's hard work and dedication Saturday.
“The groups that come and help out are wonderful,” she said. “The need is still out there and we need more help like this. So this is really incredible to see. We hear stories every year from people who tell us that if it weren’t for this event, they wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving.”
And this year is no different, organizers said. Items needed the most for this year’s program include holiday staples such as canned fruits and vegetables, cans of pumpkin and cranberry sauce, boxed or bagged stuffing, and bread and muffin mixes. Also needed are everyday necessities such as canned milk, peanut butter, baby food, tuna and other kinds of canned meats or fish.
Organizers also are asking for monetary donations to help purchase this year’s turkeys, chickens, eggs and other perishables. Checks can be made out to Community Holiday Food Drive and mailed to Gibson at Coldwell Banker Valley Brokers, 1109 N.W. Ninth St., Corvallis, OR, 97330.
Additional food and checks can be dropped off with Gibson at the Coldwell Banker office during business hours. People who want to donate large quantities of apples, potatoes and other items may make arrangements with her at 541-740-8938.
To receive a food box, families and individuals must fill out an application form in advance. Forms are available at Community Services Consortium, the Vina Moses Center and all local food pantries.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday.
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