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Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Michael J. Oliver, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
[caption id="attachment_4175" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sgt. 1st Class Azelia Campbell, noncommissioned officer for the Personnel Services Branch, hands off donation to Lt. Col. Michael Abell, deputy director of personnel, during the Kentucky National Guard Family Program’s Thanksgiving food drive at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., Nov. 18. "]
FRANKFORT, Ky., (Nov. 24, 2010) – The rain did not slow down the Kentucky National Guard Family Program’s Thanksgiving food drive at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., Nov. 18.
“This year’s food drive was very successful and the biggest donation we’ve ever collected,” said Chief Warrant Officer William Wason, deputy director of Family Program.
As BNGC staff and employees drove into work, they handed off their donations at the front gate. Family Program’s staff members filled three truck loads of non-perishable items, which weighed more than 900 pounds. They also collected more than $700 in cash.
Three local charities received the donations, including Open Hands Food Pantry Lawrenceburg, Ky., Access Soup Kitchen/Coalition of Committed Christians Food Pantry Frankfort, Ky., and the Franklin County Emergency Food Pantry Frankfort, Ky.
[caption id="attachment_4176" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Kristen Arnett, Kentucky National Guard Family Readiness support assistant, collects donations at Boone National Guard Center’s front gate in Frankfort, Ky., Nov. 18."]
The donations were given to three local charities, Open Hands Food Pantry in Lawrenceburg, Access Soup Kitchen/Coalition of Committed Christians Food Pantry in Frankfort, and Franklin County Emergency Food Pantry in Frankfort.
“We appreciate your dedication and concern for helping us to feed hungry families in Franklin County,” said E. Terry Magel, president of Emergency Community Food Pantry of Franklin County.
[caption id="attachment_4177" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Chief Warrant Officer William Wason, deputy director of Family Program, gives E. Terry Magel, president Emergency Community Food Pantry of Franklin County, a Kroger gift card more than $230. "]
“We are now providing groceries sufficient enough to prepare 21 meals to over 500 people each month. One third of these are children,” he said. “Kentucky National Guard’s help today will help feed these hungry children and their parents.”