Food shelf to kick off March campaign in style
By JODY WYNNEMER
Staff Writer
Now that football season is over, and folks need something to do on a Sunday afternoon, the New Richland Area Food Shelf has come up with a great idea.
Trinity Lutheran Church will be the site of the first-ever “Groove for Food” benefit on Sunday, February 26 from 1:30-3 p.m.
“This will be the kickoff to our March Foodshare Month campaign,” said Larry Goehring of the NR Food Shelf. “We will have five different musical acts performing throughout the afternoon. Local humorist and storyteller Al Batt will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Between sets of each group we will be having a live auction.”
The various musical acts scheduled include Just Friends, Mr. and Rev. Pamela Jensen, Pantheria Vox Musica from NRHEG, Pam Brazil and son, and Melissa Williams.
Admission to the fun-filled afternoon is free, but everyone is encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations or cash to help the food shelf.
For 30 years, Minnesota FoodShare has been partnering with local food shelves to help those in need.The Minnesota March Campaign is the only one of its kind and raises more than half of the food distributed by the 300 food shelves across the state.
The theme for 2012 is “Be the hero. Fight hunger.”
Last year, the “Mission Impossible” team from the NR Food shelf set a goal of 5,000 pounds of food and $5,000. When the results were tallied, they amassed 3,998 pounds of food and $13,399.38. Using the food share conversion (one dollar equals one pound of food,) the grand total was $17,397.
The Ellendale Area Food shelf’s 2011 goal was 5,000 pounds of food and dollars combined. They raised $5,237, which was a few thousand more than 2010.
The live auction items for the Groove for Food event haven’t been announced yet, but there is sure to be something for everyone to bid on.
“It’s going to be fun, and for a great cause,” said Goehring. “We want to fill the church.”