'Mr. Ed' plans food drive in Athol
<p>Ed Barry, who has been volunteering for local food banks for 30 years, is spearheading a food drive for the Athol Food Bank. Barry will be collecting non-perishable items for the charity during the city's festivities beginning Saturday morning.</p>
ATHOL - Ed Berry's float in the Athol Days Parade won't be like others you may have seen this year.
Instead of tossing candy to kids, he wants you to give something to him - food.
It's not for the man who used to be known as "Mr. Ed."
It's for the people of his community.
"These are some of the toughest times I've ever seen in all my life," said Berry, who has lived in North Idaho for nearly 50 years and called Athol home since 1978.
Berry is making a float shaped like a chuckwagon that will carry three 55-gallon barrels. He hopes to fill them with food on Saturday before, during and after the parade. The food will be donated to the Athol ABC Food Bank.
The Athol Days parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday to kick off a day of games, prizes, food and music at Athol City Park, as well as the announcement of Athol's Citizen of the Year.
There will be a cute baby contest, with the winner of each age group receiving a photo package donated by Taryn Hecker photography.
The Athol Little Miss Queen is Chantelle Lickfold, while the Princess is Kylee Amos. The band Trestle Creek will perform, and a car show will be at Victory Auto.
Other activities include a skateboard competition, cake walk, auction and best pie contest, with the winning pie going to Mayor Lanny Spurlock and the winning baker receiving a quilt.
"Our mayor loves pies," said City Clerk Sally Hansen.
The free activities will continue until about 4 p.m.
Berry, who used to operate a floating hot dog stand on Lake Coeur d'Alene, plans to sell hot dogs, root beer floats and corn on the cob to raise money for the food bank.
He said while he's faced his own finance struggles, there are others he knows of who are "hurting more than I am."
He hopes to collect plenty of canned food during the 15-minute parade to celebrate Athol's 101st birthday.