MOUNT VERNON — Local media outlets will join together this weekend for the 31st annual Food for the Hungry drive, to benefit The Salvation Army and Interchurch Social Services. A live broadcast of all the day’s events begins Saturday at 9 a.m. and continues until 5 p.m. on News Talk Radio 1300 WMVO and Time Warner Cable Channel 9. The broadcast will originate from Mount Vernon City Hall. This year’s broadcast will also be streamed live at www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org
Local radio personalities Dave Bevington of WMVO/Eagle 93.7 WQIO and Marcy Rinehart of WNZR will serve as main hosts of the event. WMVO’s Laura Chase and Sara Lynn, and WNZR’s Joe Rinehart will also assist in hosting portions of the broadcast. I-CONN Video Production, the Mount Vernon Nazarene University Department of Communication, Wayne Bower and Time Warner Cable are donating production and technical support.
This year’s broadcast will feature several community members and organizations presenting their contributions to the drive. Various elementary, middle and high school drive winners will be recognized. The 10th annual Food for the Hungry Shopping Cart Derby will start at 10:45 a.m. Teams from Time Warner Cable, Mount Vernon News, WNZR and News Talk Radio 1300 WMVO/ Eagle 93.7 WQIO will start from opposite ends of the city and push a shopping cart toward the Public Square. The progress of the derby will be reported on all broadcast media.
At noon, a series of short documentary videos produced by I-CONN and MVNU students will highlight Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, Captains Jon and Sienna Jackson of the Salvation Army of Mount Vernon, and MVNU’s Feed 920 effort. At 3:15 p.m., MVNU will present the annual Stephen W. Zelkowitz Memorial Award, which honors service to the FFTH drive. This year’s recipient is Austin Swallow.
There will also be plenty of local entertainment throughout the broadcast, hosted by I-CONN’s Matt Starr and featuring performances from local musicians Lew Sleeman and Kevin Mishey, the Mount Vernon High School String Quartet, Shawn and Elizabeth Barrett, Bethany Nielson, Danae Lawrence, Matthew Dinnen and Marty Bell.
Radio stations providing updates throughout the day from City Hall include WNZR 90.9 FM and Eagle 93.7 WQIO.
The Mount Vernon News will provide complete coverage of Saturday’s event in Monday’s edition of the News.
For more information or to donate online, log on to www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org

