Rappahannock Plant A Row

Friends of the Rappahannock Food Pantry and Plant a Row – gardeners, volunteers, and donors – are all invited to our Harvest (and volunteer appreciation) Pot Luck at the historic Scrabble School next Saturday, October 3, from 3:00 to 6:00.  We could use some help setting up beforehand and tidying up afterward, so come a little early or stay a little later if you can. Please bring something to sit on, a dish to share, and an item for The Pantry.  We’ll provide drinks and eating utensils. We’ll be outside if the weather permits, and in the Scrabble School otherwise.  Please carpool if you can; parking might be tight.

Food Pantry Statistician Fred Eggers compiled year-to-date Pantry (and Senior Center) donations and they’re impressive!  Through last Saturday, 4,925 lbs of vegetables, 899 lbs of fruit, 3,258 lbs of canned, boxed, or packaged food, 148 lbs of butter, 430 qts of milk, 188 doz eggs, 10 lbs of cheese, 60 cases of vitamin water, and 1,700 lbs of pet food have been donated to The Pantry.

The Pantry has also received (and we realize this is an unusual way to tally these items) 177 lbs of school supplies and 146 lbs of books and toys and a bundle of phone cards.  Additional contributions include three refrigerators, two freezers, a laptop, desks, a vacuum cleaner, the Food Pantry sign, and a picnic table.

We’re immensely grateful for the produce donated by county farms and orchards (and included in the above totals): The Farm at Sunnyside, 1,498 lbs; Waterpenny Farm, 776 lbs; Williams Orchard, 429 lbs; Lee Orchard, 140 lbs; and Mt. Vernon Farm, 31 lbs.  Churches, schools, businesses continue to be terrific supporters.

Last Thursday The Pantry served a record number of households:  32 shoppers visited.  Pantry rolls continue to grow.  Nine households joined last week, bringing total Pantry enrollees to more than 170 households.  This is obviously both good news and bad news.  The Pantry is definitely serving a need but it’s unfortunate that such a need exists.  Please continue to encourage folks who need The Pantry to use it.

Last week’s update failed to mention the generous donation of canned and boxed goods brought in by Esther Settle of Settle’s Grocery in Flint Hill.  Alert volunteer, Kaye Johnson, caught this oversight and also mentioned that Esther brought in coffee, an item the Pantry hasn’t carried but which is much desired.

Please remember that The Pantry can always use milk, eggs, butter, cheese – and volunteers!  Email PlantaRowRapp@aol.com or visit The Pantry to get on the volunteer schedule.

Kathy Eggers
Volunteer Coordinator