Palouse Cares Food Drive After Action

Palouse Cares Food Drive - Saturday, December 1, 2012

Thousands of Volunteers gathered at 9am in 7 communities with one goal - collect as much food as possible for local food banks in just a couple of hours. Several communities also hosted silent auctions.

The food drive was covered ahead of time on Inland Northwest News Radio Stations and also had commercials on KLEW TV and Inland Northwest Broadcasting Stations. In addition to post coverage on KLEW TV and in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, our effort in Colfax also earned coverage in the Whitman County Gazette.

In Colfax, 50 volunteers collected 1,850 pounds of food going door-to-door, and earned $2,300 overall with financial donations, silent auction proceeds, and a contribution of $500 in gift cards to Rosauers from Palouse Cares.

We presented the to-be-collected proceeds to the Colfax Food Bank at the Lighted Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 6.

The overall effort of Palouse Cares raised $25,000 in contributions and silent and live auction proceeds and 38,000 pounds of food by going door-to-door with the help of thousands of Volunteers.

In Colfax, I have to recognize the gracious time and effort given of the following families who volunteered that day:

• Kelley Messinger
• Jacqueline Miller
• Tim Miller
• Sam Oien
• Len Mathina
• Joe Nelson
• Keelyn Nelson
• Bailey Short
• Betina Workman
• Ken, Eden, Oakley, Ivy & Georgia Workman
• Darian & Jadyn Manfredda
• Terry & Beth Asbjornson
• Mark, Kendall and Kailee Clinton
• Sam Dailey
• Kirby Dailey
• Ysabeaux Ng
• Ben Brison
• Tracy and Joe Solis
• Bruce Heiner
• Aleta Heiner
• James Heiner
• John Langston
• Chris Davis
• Anne Marie Davis
• Bob Krikac
• Darrell Nastasi
• Gary Martin
• Janet Nastasi
• Cathy Martin
• Don Kocb
• Dillen Livingston
• Francisco Aguilar
• Amy from Colfax Subway
• Gail Webster
• Suzy McNeilly
• Jim Berdal
• Santa Claus
• Kathy Clark
• Sabrina Kennedy and Family
• The Employees at Rosauers
• and many others

I am also so incredibly grateful to the businesses, individuals and organizations who made special contributions to make our success in Colfax possible, who have not already been mentioned: 

• Colfax Les Schwab
• Kathy Mayer
• Debbie Glass
• The Employees at Whitman Hospital
• Holly and the Employees at Colfax Arbys and Taco Time
• Brian at Cougar Food Mart
• Rick Minard and Don Frei with Palouse Cares
• Jon Carson and Greg Meyer
• Kimberly at Best Western Wheatland Inn
• JoReen Brinkman, Colfax Subway
• Tick Clock Drug and Gifts
• Flowers and More 
• Events on Main
• Colfax Grange
• Palouse Brand 
• Pete and Kandis at Top Notch Cafe 
• WSU Athletics Marketing
• Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
• Barry at Colfax Ace Hardware
• Lube Plus
• Shawn McAddams at Colfax Rosauers
• Mark Clinton
• Colfax Rotary
• Sam Dial Jewelers
• Huber Action Freight
• and many others

Donors also included: 

• Daniel and Jennifer Wood
• Colfax Thrifty Grandmothers
• Sally Ousley
• Charli Hochsprung
• Jennifer Booker
• Jim Berdal
• Diane Monson
• Jane Roberts
• Joel Hurley
• Whitney Mueller 
• Gail Webster
• Suzy McNeilly
• and many other cash contributors!

We are so grateful for your help and we look forward to working with you again next year!  We are told the Colfax Food Bank will use all of what we raised by Christmas.  So please give as much as you can, and give often.  Merry Christmas! 

Whitney Mueller