The donations have started to roll in and it looks better than what I saw last week, except for Chinook. To be honest, Chinook is struggling but that can quickly change as it has in past years.

It always amazes me how such a small community can in only a few short weeks rally to aid supporting food banks. One contributing factor is many of our local homes are second homes or vacation homes to those in the metro areas. Even though these folks primarily live outside of our community they make the effort to support this fund drive and perhaps others. Those donations small and large all push the totals higher.

This year with inflation, greater demand, less availability, and higher prices your donation is needed more than ever. This year inflation is near 7.7%. Last year the food bank challenge raised $109,332, but just to stay up with inflation that total needs to be near $117,000 this year. It’s a big number but a goal worth striving for.

I know many of you might want to know how much money each food bank has received so far, but waiting until Dec. 21 when the challenge is over just makes sense. The plan for the Loren Corder Foundation is to meet, get the checks cut and arrange for a meeting to hand these out to everyone on Dec. 28. I think the Chinook Observer will cover the final outcome that day as in past years. It’s a day of smiling faces and happy tears no matter what the final challenge numbers end up being.

It’s great start of a new year with a happy community story to share that we were all involved in creating. But the challenge continues until the close of business on Dec. 21. If you’re reading this letter on Wednesday, Dec. 21 when the paper comes out, you still have time to drop off a donation by calling the food bank/s listed below.

• Chinook Food Bank

P.O. Box 243

Chinook, WA 98614

360-749-3300

• Ilwaco Food Bank

P.O. Box 494

Ilwaco, WA 98624

360-244-3456

• Ocean Park Food Bank

P.O. Box 907

Ocean Park, WA 98640

360-665-6567

And I would personally like to thank everyone for doing your part in making this a great community and to those food bank volunteers that make an effort to coordinate the operation of our three food banks.

CHUCK MIKKOLA

Food Bank Money Wrangler