Looking back at previous years, the donations trickled in following Thanksgiving and this year is similar — trickling in, that is. I get worried that the three food banks will not have sufficient donations to match everything that will be in the “pot.” I would give you the numbers for “to date” but I don’t want to sadden the moment.

Maybe I’m worried over nothing. Instead, I want to remind everyone that local merchants for the first time are expressing their gratitude by providing what I want to say is a great thank you for the larger donations. We have oil changes for cars, salmon trips and tuna trips for those larger donations. I don’t know how many larger donations have come in and won’t know until the Challenge is over. Again, if we have more larger donations than we have gifts in the three categories, a random draw will be made. For the tuna trips they will go to the highest donations. Hopefully, this will work out, as the goal is helping the food banks.

One thing I need to say is every dime donated will go to the food banks. We have no wages, no expenses, not even advertising. It’s all volunteers working to help our community. Until the last day of challenge, Dec. 19, I will be looking for more gifts to thank the donors and open to ideas that will increase the donation total. Donations are gifts that keep on giving. Whether it’s a dollar or thousand dollars, they are the bricks that help build community compassion and the thermometer of community health. It’s the only gift one will ever give that fits perfectly each and every time.

Merry Christmas to all,

CHUCK MIKKOLA

Food Bank Money Wrangler