Business

News and Sentinel to host Chick Crites Food Drive

PARKERSBURG -- The fourth annual Chick Crites Food Drive will be held 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 14 in the parking lot of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, 519 Juliana St.

The food drive is a collaboration between the Mid-Ohio Valley Platoon Marine Corps Veterans Association and The News and Sentinel. The name came from Carl "Chick" Crites, a Marine and Vietnam War veteran with a passion for helping others.

Donations will be split between Old Man Rivers and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 32 Food Pantry. Volunteers from veteran's groups will be at The News and Sentinel parking lot to accept donations such as non-perishable foods and canned goods. Cash donations also are accepted and will be split between the two food pantries.

"A lot of people donate ramen noodles, mac and cheese, things that are going to be easy to fix and don't take a lot of extra milk or things they don't have," said Bernie Lyons, commanding officer of the Mid-Ohio Valley Platoon of the Marine Corps Veterans Association.

Chapter 32 Commander Paul DeBerry said the pantry also accepts donations for female personal care products, house cleaning and laundry care products.

Berry said he recently purchased $300 in food to supply the pantry for the next week. The transaction was funded by donations.

"I buy hamburger, hotdogs, bologna, polish sausage, bacon, cheese. I buy oil and pancake mix because that's what veterans want. I give them a $10 gift card each week to buy milk and bread which I can't furnish," he said.

DeBerry said the number of veterans who visit Chapter 32's pantry can vary in a month, but he estimates between 20 and 35 visits.

"Some of them I gave them enough that they don't have to have enough for a second time that month so they'll come back the following month," he said.

Old Man Rivers board member Mike Tucker said the pantry has seen a 37 percent increase in the households served in Wood County.

"Last year we served about 6,600 households and right now we're on track to serve over 9000," he said. "That's not just once, they come in multiple times throughout the year."

Tucker said several factors contributed to the increased need of food pantries.

"Cost of food is probably the biggest thing, inflation. I think that the largest thing is we find more individuals paying for food, paying for gas. Their income doesn't go quite as far as it used to," he said.

Tucker said Old Man Rivers also has seen a 50 percent increase in food cost.

"Last year we spent $32,000 and in the first nine months of this year, we're already at $36,000. And we're on track to spend $50,000."

Despite the obstacles, Tucker said Old Man Rivers appreciates the food drive.

"That's why this food drive is so much appreciated by Old Man Rivers because we do take in quite a bit of food and donations and money is very helpful."

Both Deberry and Tucker said they don't have specific expectations in terms of how many donations they'll receive; only that people will give what they are able to.

Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com.