The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
4-H GROUP SPEARHEADS SUCCESSFUL FOOD DRIVE
Donations total more than $35,000, thanks to yearly fundraising drive
Thanks to the work of several Geauga County 4-H Clubs and donations by Dr. Augustine Kellis as well as many businesses and organizations, fewer people will go hungry this year.
On Aug. 30, Kellis presented checks totaling more than $35,000 to the Geauga Hunger Task Force board member Lisa Briggs at the Great Geauga County Fair.
In a drive initiated by the Geauga County 4-H Greener Fields Club funds and food have been collected to aid the task force, and in turn, those who count on it for necessary nutrition in times of need.
This year several 4-H clubs, local businesses, churches and libraries across the county raised $18,251.39.
For the fifth consecutive year Kellis partnered with the club by matching cash donations dollar for dollar and canned goods at 50 cents per dollar bringing the final sum to $36,502.78.
“All of this could not have become such a large drive without the help of Dr. Auggie
Kellis,” said Mary O’Neill, vice president of Greener Fields 4-H. “Every year he has matched our donations and it continues to push the club to collect more items and donations than the year before.”
The Kenston High School senior has been involved with 4-H for nine years, raising chickens and rabbits to show at the fair.
She’s held several leadership positions with the group, and, as with many other 4-H’ers, has been determined to ensure the drive’s success.
“I have seen how many lives we are helping through
the drive and I wanted to give back to the community,” she said. “Many people are unaware of the poverty in Geauga County, as I was. But after dropping off food at local pantries and seeing how excited the kids became when we had Fruit Loops or pasta made me realize how oblivious I was to the situation.”
Working on the drive has had similar effects on several of O’Neill’s fellow 4-H members.
Greener Fields 4-H head adviser Christine Belliveau of Claridon Township noted that “many of them have taken the donations to the families. When you go there and see all the people in line it puts a face on it and becomes more real.”
Belliveau recalls one in
stance when a 4-H member delivered corn on the cob to
a food pantry. Afterwards, the teen ob
served a woman who received a portion begin to cry because she hadn’t tasted the fresh vegetable in years.
The 2019 drive’s monetary total reflects an increase of $13,216 over 2018. Belliveau said she’s seen the effort snowball, growing larger as more awareness is created.
Every penny collected is used to provide food to the needy through seven food pantries, and also assist disabled residents, those who have aged out of the foster care system and several others.
“The money will represent over 144,000 meals and help so many people in need…there are more people working but their wages just don’t cover each month’s needs or when there is an unexpected expense,” said Geauga Hunger Task Force President Sue Juhasz.
O’Neill said that it’s always the club’s goal to hold a better drive than the previous year.
“The Geauga Hunger Task Force is a caring, whole-hearted organization that continues to help so many people in need and I am extremely proud to be a leader in the drive,” she said. “I hope the drive continues to be as successful in following years under new Greener Fields leadership and new business supporters.”