Letter carriers collect 5,400 pounds of food
Last Saturday, as part of the national “Stamp out Hunger” food drive, letter carriers of the U.S. Postal Service collected non-perishable foods for local food pantry’s. Here on Pine Island, cars, vans and trucks arrived all day at the Pine Island Food Pantry to deliver non-perishable foods.
At the end of the day a total of 5,400 pounds of food were delivered to the Food Pantry.
“This is the annual postal carrier food drive,” Peg Cruckshank said. “Our local postal carriers, as they deliver the mail, pick up bags and boxes of food for us. Then we will go to the various post office branches and pick up the food and deliver it to the Food Pantry here at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church. All of the food collected on Pine island stays on Pine Island.”
Peg and Roy Cruckshank took over the management of the food drive this year. “Dave Grueser has so much to do Roy and I stepped in to help out,” Cruckshank said. “When my husband and I moved here from Cape Cod, Mass., we were looking for something to get involved with. This is just one of many organizations on the island and we realize ‘There but for the grace of God go I,’ and decided to get involved.
“Last year we collected about 4,500 pounds of food and this year I think we will do a little better,” Cruckshank said. “It’s only 10:30 and as of now it looks to me like we are past that half-way mark.
In addition to the postal carriers, a number of volunteers helped the food collection work.
“We have so many volunteers to thank,” she continued. “We have people from the Community Church, the Beacon of H.O.P.E., Dianne Higgins is here from F.I.S.H. (Friendly Islanders Sending Help), we have Matlacha Hookers, help from the Matlacha Mariners and every year the Boy Scouts are here. And, of course, Father Michael generously lets us use this hall.
“This is the largest food drive in the nation and here on Pine Island people are just so generous with everything.” Cruckshank said. “It’s just amazing how giving the people of Pine Island are. This food drive will take the Pine Island Food pantry through the summer.”
The food pantry is housed in the Life Center of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church on Stringfellow Road in Bokeelia. The pantry, an equal opportunity organization, serves residents of Pine Island and greater Matlacha.
The pantry is open Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30-10:30 a.m. and closed holidays. Donations can be mailed to Pine Island Food Pantry, 12175 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922. Call 239-443-6561.