Community forks over food, donations to feed hungry — with photo gallery

from the Livingston Press Argus

By Alison Bergsieker

It's likely that 17-year-old Kevin Norman's parents would not be pleased if they heard their son was gallivanting in the middle of Main Street traffic on Saturday afternoon.

But Norman, a receiver and kicker for the Brighton High School varsity football team, wasn't horsing around at all — he and other team members were collecting drive-by donations during the sixth annual Fill the Gazebo Food Drive in downtown Brighton at the Mill Pond gazebo.

The event benefits Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan, which distributes 25 million pounds of food annually to needy families.

"We're hoping more fans will come out to our games," Norman said. "I'm working up a sweat here. I'm losing weight."

By 2 p.m., a large semi-truck was filled to the brim with food donations. The truck had to be unloaded and brought back to retrieve another load of food. In all, Erica Karfonta of Gleaners said preliminary figures indicate the drive brought in 7,364 pounds of food, good for 5,753 meals, with more anticipated in the next few days.

Karfonta said the drive raised $12,000 in monetary donations — good for 36,000 meals — with more anticipated in the next few days.

In all, Karfonta said, the drive hauled in 41,753 meals — well above organizers' target of 40,000 meals.

"The turnout has been tremendous," said Michelle Brant, executive vice president of the Livingston Association of Realtors, which puts on the event each year. "This has been the largest turnout we've ever had. We're very fortunate to have so many great community members."

In Livingston County, emergency food services are provided for 8,900 people each year, according to a 2006 study of clients and agencies served by Gleaners. Within any given week, 1,900 county residents receive emergency food services.

Cub Scout Pack 364, along with other Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, brought 500 pounds of food to the event.

"We do this to help get a sense of community service, to see the ability of what can happen when people get together," said Chris Lawrence, a co-Cub Scout den leader.

The Fill the Gazebo fundraiser has fundraised enough food for 100,090 meals at its last five events, Brant said.

The event is scheduled each May to raise donations especially for needy children, Brant said.

"The reason we do it in May is because it's the time of year when kids are out of school and some receive their one hot meal at school," Brant said.