Page 14
The INDEPENDENT, March 20, 2003
Vernonia Cares needed more than ever Parade starts here...........
Economic conditions are af
fecting the number of people
needing assistance from Ver
nonia Cares Food Bank. The
number of clients served in
2002 totalled 2,883 (1,116 of
whom were children), an in
crease of 42 percent over
2001.
Statistics for January and
February, 2003, are showing
spiraling client numbers, as
well.
“We served 304 people in
January and 298 in February of
this year,” food bank Director
Sandy Welch reported. “That’s
another 25 percent increase
over last year’s numbers! Thus
far we’ve had the groceries to
help these hungry households,
however, financial and food do
nations have decreased drasti
cally since December."
Vernonia Cares has been in
formed that the availability of
USDA food may decline soon,
which will increase the amount
of food the agency will have to
purchase.
“I know everyone’s finances
are pretty tight right now,”
Welch said, “but imagine how
much harder it is for those in
the 130% federal poverty level,
(which is where most of Cares
client income falls)."
Adding to the grim picture
are an increasing number of
unemployed who now require
the food bank’s assistance for
the first time. “We’ve already
served 94 new people in the
past two months,” Welch said.
Vernonia Cares Food Bank
needs food and funds to contin
ue meeting its responsibility to
help the neediest in our com
munity. Through the Oregon
Food Bank, Cares is able to
purchase groceries for eight to
fourteen cents per pound, a
wonderful value, Welch points
out, but maintaining adequate
supplies is still a problem.
“We need both financial and
food contributions to keep food
on our shelves and pay operat
ing expenses," she explains.
“We try to supply basic food
items, but households also
need things like laundry soap,
toiletries and paper products.
Sometimes contributors bring
in these items, which is a won
derful bonus,” Welch adds.
“I know Vernonia is a gener
ous community, as verified by
the successful holiday box proj
ect,” Welch said. “I’m sure once
people hear of the food bank’s
need, many will step forth and
contribute."
“As we pull together in these
difficult times, we help encour
age people by simply providing
food for hungry households. Af
ter all, food is one of mankind’s
basic needs and one of the
easiest needs to meet.
“I’m just one of the people al
lowed to be the contributors’
hands extended to our commu
nity. What a wonderful way to
show that Vernonia Cares!”
Welch concluded.
Vernonia Cares Food Bank
is a not-for-profit organization
whose goal is to provide three
days-worth of emergency gro
ceries, once a month, to the
hungry in and around Vernonia.
The Food Bank is located at
627 Adams Avenue and is open
Tuesday and Thursday from
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. All con
tributions are tax-deductible.
The mailing address for Ver
nonia Cares Food Bank is P.O.
Box 126, Vernonia, OR 97064.
Questions may be directed to
Care’s Director Sandy Welch
by calling 503-429-1414.
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503-429 9410
fo r
in fo r m a tio n
Above: Grand Marshall George Smith is driven by
Frank Schrier.
Top, this page and page 15: Once again, the Polish
entry was the crowd pleaser during Vernonia’s St
Patrick’s Day Parade. The pickup with signs reading
Polish Max Line and Conductor’s Car, was towing the
vehicles in the two top photos on the next page; one is
labeled Economy Car, another is Golf Car, after that is
a Cowboy Car with a bedspring buckboard, followed
by what looks suspiciously like a beer keg in a little red
wagon...but it’s labeled Conductor’s Fuel.
Middle row, next page, includes a very young
equestrian, a “powder monkey,” Elvis, and parade
leader Johnny B.
Bottom, next page, has a clown with several young
bike riders.
Vernonia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade was started by
Pat Knight, former owner of Lew’s Place and has re
mained a home grown parade that is always on March
17th, not on the nearest convenient weekend.
Make $$ while you make space!
It’s a pleasant way to tell your friends and neigh
bors...
May you be in Heaven before the Devi! knows
you”re dead.