Leadership Geauga donates $5K to Veteran Food Pantry

As part of its annual fundraiser, the 2021 Emerald Ball, Leadership Geauga County chose the Geauga County Veteran Food Pantry to receive exactly half of the proceeds from the “Call to the Heart” Paddle Raise. The Leadership Geauga Board and Event Committee were thrilled to be able to donate $5,640, raised the night of the event through the generosity of alumni and friends of the organization, according to a release from the organization.

“We looked carefully at organizations in Geauga County that helped veterans. We chose the Veteran Food Pantry because of its caring dedication to feeding our military veterans with food and camaraderie,” said Matt Emrick, co-chairman of the Emerald Ball, current Board member, and past president of the Board. “We also wanted to keep the money in Geauga County where it can do the greatest good.”

Lynn Algeri, the volunteer Food Pantry manager, has volunteered at the Food Pantry for 10 years. She knows that the need for help has done nothing but increase.

When asked how she would put Leadership Geauga’s donation to work, Lynn promptly answered, “diddy boxes for our vets.”

She explained that when on active service, military personnel have a diddy bag to hold toiletries and personal items. The Food Pantry interprets that today to mean a box filled with necessities that are not paid for by food stamps, such as toiletries; paper goods, soaps (laundry, hand and dish); trash bags, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, masks, and more.

For over 25, Leadership Geauga has been building bridges between the public, private, and non-profit sectors with annual programs that educate, connect, and inspire seasoned and future decision-makers of Geauga County.

The organization recently completed its 25th anniversary year by being named “Outstanding NonProfit Organization of the Year” by the Chardon Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information about Leadership Geauga, visit www.leadershipgeauga.org.

SUBMITTED Volunteers from the Geauga County Veteran Food Pantry look on as representatives of Leadership Geauga present a check for $5,640to support Pantry operations. Front row, left to right, Barbara Titus, VP Sheoga Hardwood Flooring and Leadership Geauga’s 2021 Emerald Leader; Lynn Algeri, volunteer Pantry Manager; Pantry volunteers, and Matthew Emrick, former Board President of Leadership Geauga and co-chair of the Emerald Ball. Rebecca Klein, co-chair of the Emerald Ball, was unable to be present.