September set as ‘Hunger Action’ month
by September 2, 2011 8:14 am 106 views
story and photos by Joel Rafkin
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The crowd was small but their hearts were big as about 60 people gathered at the Park at West End on Thursday (Sept. 1) to donate food items for Light Up Hunger, the mayor’s community wide food drive.
About 2,000 pounds of food was collected according to John Knight, warehouse supervisor for the River Valley Regional Food Bank. He said it is unusual to receive fresh produce and the donation from Farmer’s Co-op was a welcome change.
Other businesses including ABF Freight System, Planters, Baldor and Data-Tronics donated items collected from their employees. Mrs. Baird’s donated bread and also gave out coupons for free bread. Goody’s Frozen Yogurt handed out coupons redeemable for a free 3 oz. yogurt.
The donated items are checked for anything that would be a health concern, stored at the River Valley Regional Food Bank and then distributed to 210 member agencies in an eight county area in west central Arkansas, said Ken Kupchick, director of marketing and development for the food bank.
"The community (is) coming together to say: We’re concerned about families that can’t make it," Kupchick said.
Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders issued a proclamation naming September Hunger Action Month in Fort Smith. Gary Hutchison performed music for the guests in attendance. The park opened up from 5 to 7 p.m. and offered rides on the Ferris wheel and carousel — typically only available on Friday and Saturday nights. Boom-A-Rang Diner provided the balloons to decorate the park and offered an air conditioned place for people to cool off and get some refreshment. Wal-mart donated bottled water for the event.
Cities across America are lighting a landmark in orange for National Hunger Action Month. The Ferris wheel at the Park at West End is America’s oldest operating Ferris wheel and as a highly visible structure at the west entrance to Fort Smith, the most suitable landmark to illuminate, according to Kupchick. The lights were made possible by Jeff Beauchamp of Bedford Camera & Video. They will remain through the month of September.
