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National Forest and MDNR Employees collect 3,700 pounds of food for local pantries
Release Date:
Contact(s): Joy VanDrie
National Forest and MDNR Employees collect 3,700 pounds of food for local pantries
2,080 pounds of food donated to Baldwin Bread of Life Pantry by the HMNF Baldwin/ White Cloud Ranger District staff – Delivered by Matt Bonnau, Carlon Parmelee and Jake Lubera. Photo Credit: Huron-Manistee National Forests.
December 23, 2021, Cadillac, Michigan. Annually the Huron-Manistee National Forests (HMNFs) employees team together to contribute to area families in need, after a break in 2020 due to COVID, the response was stronger than ever this year. Since 2017 a special ‘River Plunge Challenge’ has taken place between the HMNFs and the MDNR Ludington State Park Staff to collect food for area families, and there was a special buzz in the air this Holiday Season. This year the combined donations totaled over 3,700 pounds of food for the two pantries.
The HMNFs Baldwin/White Cloud District took the win with 2,080 pounds of food, donated to the Baldwin Bread of Life Pantry. Ludington Lakeshore Food Club received the MDNR Ludington State Park donation of 1,660 pounds of food. The HMNF Baldwin/White Cloud District Ranger Jake Lubera and MDNR Ludington State Park -Park Manager Jim Gallie agree that everyone wins because they help-out so many families, however both Lubera and Gallie will take a plunge into the Pere Marquette River at Bowman Bridge sometime in January, the winner plunges only once, while the non-winner plunges twice.
“We need all the help we can get, we had over 100 families come to our pantry today,” said Lynne Mills, Director, Baldwin Bread of Life Panty, “we thank the Forest Service and everyone for caring and sharing hope with area families during Christmas and all year long.”
“This is more than beating the MDNR. The food and products we provide go to help the people we work and live with in our area. You have heard it said before - Hunger knows no season but it feels worse in the short cold days of this time of year,’ says Jake Lubera, Baldwin/White Cloud District Ranger, HMNFs, “In today’s climate any bit of bright light we can provide goes a long way.”
1,660 pounds of food donated to Ludington Lakeshore Food Club by the MDNR Ludington State Park staff – delivered by Jim Gallie and Kevin Swygert. Photo Credit: MDNR Ludington State Park.
“Wow, the Baldwin District really upped their game this year. We had a great food drive at the Park and thought we might take this year’s competition, but Jake and the USFS Team nearly tripled their haul from previous years. Impressive!” said Jim Gallie, Park Manager, MDNR Ludington State Park, “Despite the dread of the upcoming two river jumps, it’s offset by knowing that so many donations have been made to our respective food resource centers in Lake and Mason Counties. Thank you to staff, friends, and family for all your donations. We’ll get ’m next year.”