BUCYRUS — The Second Harvest Food Pantry of of North Central Ohio lived up to its mission statement Monday in Crawford County: Grow hope in our region by creating pathways to nutritious food.
An announced drive-thru food pantry served up free food and supplies to 789 vehicles/families.
Virginia Hammontree was the local organizer of Monday’s event, sending out emails to media, setting up volunteers and making a record of the event.
She was in awe of the event’s success.
“I’m so sorry today’s event means so much to so many,” she said. “But 789 families were able to get a box and bags of needed provisions. Second Harvest knew how to get this accomplished in three hours.”
The food pantry was set up in the Bucyrus High School parking lot, near the softball field. The Ohio Highway Patrol helped line up vehicles and directed traffic in the area, Bucyrus City Schools opened its doors to allow those in line and volunteers to use its bathrooms and the Ohio National Guard lended a hand packing and delivering packages to vehicles.
Hammontree was in awe of how smooth,y the operation went.
“The Second Harvest truck arrived about 9:40 a.m. Staging began at 10,” she said. “About a dozen cars there by 9:45 and we began the actual distribution at 11:30. The Second Harvest truck pulled out at 3 p.m.”
Hammond said the Bucyrus High School parking lot was filled with about 200 vehicles from 11:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
The highway patrol knows how to stage traffic control, and the Ohio National Guard steps up to help when needed,” said Hammontree, one of the administrators of the Bucyrus Backpack. “Bucyrus Police Chief David Koepke did his part with keeping the traffic moving. I just knew some folks to contact who would share with those who needed a little help.”
She also thanked Crawford Partnership for providing box lunches from Cooper’s Mill for those working outside on a brisk and Winday day that included gusts of 50 mph.
All drivers had to do was make sure their trunks and vehicles were cleaned out to make the delivery process go as swiftly as possible.
Hammontree said she is familiar with Second Harvest efforts as the organization supplies food for the Bucyrus Backpack Program that feeds kids from Bucyrus, Wynford, Colonel Crawford and Fairway-Waycraft schools.
For more information on Second Harvest, visit its website at https://www.secondharvestfoodbank.org/
The Bucyrus Backpack Program also accepts donations. They can be mailed to 3130 Oak Drive, Bucyrus, Ohio 44820, in care of Virginia Hammontree, treasurer
Members of the Ohio National Guard were on hand Monday in Bucyrus to help Second Harvest with a drive-thru food pantry. Almost 800 vehicles received a box of supplies to help get them through the on-going COVID-19 crisis. The Ohio Highway Patrol directed traffic and numerous volunteers helped to pack up boxes and deliver them to those waiting in line.
As far as the eye could see, vehicles lined up in Bucyrus on Monday to received a box of food and supplies to help them through the COVID-19 crisis. A total of 789 boxes and bags of food and provisions were passed out.
