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Presidents Message
A huge thank you is in order for the volunteers and organizations that helped
the North County Community Food Bank this last year. The community support
received by the Food Bank is truly amazing!
First, I’d like to thank the volunteers who help in the office, pick up food,
clean fish, help at community events and serve our clients. The logged volunteer
hours (we know time was not logged by many individuals) was an incredible 11,940
hours last year. I see Ron Webb early mornings delivering and unloading food he
has picked up. The Fish First volunteers spearheaded by Gary Loomis make certain
fish confiscated by the Wildlife Department is delivered to the Food Bank rather
than thrown away. Bev Banks and LaDonna Lopossa work countless hours on special
projects. Other volunteers who work in the office include Barbara Evans, Mark
Halme, Ron Hertz, Evelyn Holverson, George Hooker, Betty Jacobson, Patti
Johnson, Elaine Nibley, Lynne Oldham, Joan Putnam, Alex and Carol Reinhold, Alex
Reinhold, Sr., Tim Reinhold, Sharon Ritchi, Florence Webb, Chris White, Stacey
White and Mary Wolff.
Second, I’d like to thank all of the business and organizations who continually
assist the Food Bank in terms of food or cash donations. Those include the
Battle Ground Albertson’s, Anderson Dairy, the Battle Ground Methodist Church,
the Battle Ground Kiwanis Club, the Battle Ground Pharmacy, the Battle Ground
SNAP, the Battle Ground School District Schools and Administration, C.A.S.E.E.
Garden Project, the Battle Ground Curves for Women, the Battle Ground Fred
Meyer, the Greater Federated Women’s Club, the Battle Ground Little Caesar’s,
the Battle Ground Safeway, the Battle Ground Starbucks and six others around the
county, Stewart Title, the Target in the Vancouver Plaza, Walgreens on Padden
Parkway, the Washington State Fisheries, and Walt Weggener, to name a few.
Third, I’d like to thank the board of directors for making it such an enjoyable
year. The individual board members are listed on the Board of Directors page.
The board consists of working individuals, retired individuals and a Food Bank
client. They not only assist in setting policy, but are down in the trenches
helping on fundraising events. Board members participated in collecting food and
donations at the “Celebrity Bagging Day” hosted at Albertson’s. Community VIP’s
joined us including Clark County Commissioners, School board, Fire and Police
staff, Battle Ground Citizens of the year. Board member Mayor John Idsinga again
spearheaded the Christmas food box donations and the annual auction. Board
members collected donations for the Annual
Fund-Raising Auction, which was the most successful to date. Jonathan Ocampo,
who manages the Battle Ground First Independent Bank in his spare time, is our
Secretary and records minutes of all our meetings. Debbie McDowell, manager of
the Battle Ground Washington Mutual in her spare time, is our treasure, serving
several consecutive years in that position. Special thanks to Shonny Bria who is
our incoming President, and who, in her spare time, manages the Battle Ground
School District. I am proud and honored to serve with such a wonderful board of
dedicated volunteers.
Finally, I would be remiss in not thanking our staff. Our Director, Elaine
Hertz, keeps everything moving smoothly. Her able assistants, Kathy Elliott and
Theresa White, are always ready to lend a hand. For them the Food Bank is far
more than a job, it is a passion.
If I have failed to individually thank an individual or an organization it was
not intentional. We truly appreciate all of the individuals, businesses and
organizations that have assisted us. Your help enables us to help the most needy
of our society. With your assistance an average of 2, 751 people were served
each month last year through the Food Bank lobby alone. Food boxes, containing
basic staples for three to five days, benefited 8,813 people. We couldn’t do it
without all the community support so on behalf of the North County Community
Food Bank, THANK YOU!
Jill Kurtz
Outgoing President
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