MOUNT VERNON — Soroptimist International of Mount Vernon and Knox County, and Interchurch Social Services, sponsored the annual Christmas in July food drive on Saturday to restock the ISS food pantry. This year’s goal is $20,000.
Volunteers collected food donations and cash donations until 2 p.m. on Saturday, stationed outside the grocery and food stores in Fredericktown, Danville and Gambier, and outside Neff’s Cardinal Market, Kroger and Wal-Mart in Mount Vernon. Volunteers were also at the Farmers Market on Public Square. ISS will use the cash collected to purchase food from the Mid-Ohio Food Bank at greatly reduced prices.
Lee Thomas, a Soroptimist member, stood with volunteer Diane Henwood outside Neff’s.
“The traffic has been really good at this site,” said Thomas. “We’ve received mostly cash donations.”
“Two big boxes of food were given ... our first donation this morning ... by someone who had received services from Interchurch,” said Henwood. “She wanted to give back. That was really neat.”
“Each year, we’re touched by the people,” added Thomas. “But this year ... that woman was our first person, and that’s a good way to start out.”
They estimated that about 55 percent of the shoppers going in and out of Neff’s were stopping to donate. They said their efforts were improved when people they know walked by.
“We’re not above making people feel bad if it’s for a good cause,” joked Thomas.
“Whether they choose to give financially on the way in or give food on the way back out, they do give,” added Henwood.
Soroptimists Ann Simpson and Nancy Vail were stationed at the Farmers Market on Public Square.
“It’s going very well,” said Vail. “There have been a lot of people through the market this morning. Our collections are probably not as much as they could be, though. I think the reason is a lot of people here on the square are volunteering for Interchurch or giving through their church. Most people give through their churches.”
Sharon Anderson and Lucy Waltman organized this year’s drive.
“Everything seems to be going well,” said Waltman on Saturday morning. “We seem to be getting more cash than food donations. But that’s good because Interchurch can take that money and buy food at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. As usual, the community is really opening up and giving.”
Saturday was the final day of the official drive, but donations will continue to come in through July, Waltman said. She will announce the total collected in about a month.