Winner, winner, turkey dinner
Welch Comer Engineers recently donated 435 pounds of turkeys to the Post Falls Food Bank to help local families in need this Thanksgiving. This is the 10th year Welch Comer has held a turkey drive for the food bank. Back row, from left: Dani Dugdale, Cody Hodgson, Jordan Tillett, Phil Boyd, Steve Cordes, Matt Gillis and Melissa Cleveland. Front: Kaci Medlock, Beatrice Alonzo, Nathan Wright, Sandra Sonnen, Jack Griffing and Julie Lockhart.
Courtesy photo
POST FALLS — The Post Falls Food Bank has been so busy it ran out of turkeys last week.
“It’s not good, but it is the reality. Post Falls in particular is growing so much and every month we’re setting records," Post Falls Food Bank Director Leslie Orth said Friday. "We've never had this many visits."
Orth estimated the food bank has given away 600 turkeys so far this season.
"We were done with our two totes of turkeys the first two days we started distributing them for the holiday," she said. "We are very mindful in January that the holidays are coming in a mere 10 months, so we start collecting birds at the beginning of the year."
The poultry pantry has since been replenished, thanks to generous community partners such as the nonprofit Turkeys and More and Welch Comer Engineers. Welch Comer, which annually assists the food bank with its Thanksgiving needs, recently donated 435 pounds of turkeys.
"This is our 10th year serving Post Falls Food Bank," Welch Comer Vice President Matt Gillis said. "We love what they do in the community. We’re happy to support them and happy to continue to do so in the future."
Another recent gift came from Post Falls Cub Scout Pack 220. The kids collected 527 pounds of food to support the food bank.
Orth said she would be disappointed if it happens one year that the food bank doesn't have enough turkeys for everyone, but from a big-picture perspective, she just wants to make sure the food bank has enough of the basic necessities for the families it serves every week.
But that hasn't happened yet.
"It's weird, every year we seem to make it and no one doesn’t have a turkey," she said.
The food bank itself is in need of a new delivery truck. "Big Blue" as it is called is driven 100 miles a day, six days a week.
"Our truck is old and broken and we’re duct-taping the thing together," Orth said. "We’re putting in $10,000 in repairs every year."
The food bank at this time needs: Canned tuna and beef, peanut butter, jelly, chicken noodle soup, chili, rice, cereal, oatmeal, canned pasta, boxed dinners, spaghetti sauce, baked/refried beans and condiments/cooking oil. Plastic bags and empty egg cartons are also on the wishlist.
The Post Falls Food Bank will provide turkeys and trimmings to registered guests through Wednesday. Visit postfallsfoodbank.org for registration requirements and other details.
"Families, if you have freezer space, we will give them to you now," Orth said.