If you’ve been to MPC recently, you’d have seen the table in the Family Room, covered with slowly-disappearing jars labelled with country names. What did it mean? We had a food drive to capitalize on the excitement generated by the FIFA World Cup soccer games, and it has finally come to an end. Let’s review what we accomplished. The food barrel was filled to overflowing and it’s being picked up by the Food Bank, and we collected $84 for a cash donation to the Food Bank.
After two months of getting ready, then following the games and eliminations, it came down to July 13 and the match between Argentina and Germany. They battled for first place and Germany prevailed. That meant the person with the most tickets in the winning team jar, our first place winner, was Nellie Daniel, who selected the FIFA soccer ball. Argentina came in second, and our second place winner Debbie Fallehy, who selected the FIFA sackpack. Prevailing in the play-off for third place was Netherlands and our third place winner was the team of Gloria and Vern Alexander, who got the FIFA T-shirt. But, really, we all won – we learned a lot about soccer, gave food and money to the Food Bank, and had a good time. Such a good time, in fact, we’re planning the next competitive food drive – what will it be?
The Hunger Action Working Group (HAWG) is next working on two ways to better utilize the summer’s abundance in our local gardens, sharing it with each other and with those who don’t have as much. We’re calling it our produce
“Overabundance”:
**First, for three alternate Fridays, starting this Friday (July 25) we are collecting excess produce at the MPC church office by 4 pm for next day delivery to the Fruitvale Food Pantry (which only operates the 2nd and 4th Saturdays). The next collection day will be two weeks later, on Friday, August 8, and the final collection will be Friday, August 22. Depending on the turnout, we may extend the collections into the month of September – stay tuned.
**Second, starting with each August MPC Sunday evening Celebrations and BBQ, we will be hosting a table for members and neighbors to share and take produce overabundance. You don’t have to bring anything in order to get something (this is not a produce swap).
So, join us for the Summer of Produce Overabundance – we’d love to see you, and your produce, this summer, at MPC.