80 families thank DAR employees for food

By BARBARA ANN HORTON

Staff Writer

Accepting one of the 80 bags of groceries distributed Saturday at the Daily American Republic Food Giveaway, a young couple shared how the food would help them.

As they thanked the newspaper and its employees, the young man said, “We are going to make it until our next food stamps. We don’t have to worry about having something for dinner. Thank you very much.”

Another person simply stated, “I appreciate it.”

Theirs are among the many stories about ways the food will help. While most didn’t share their names, others did.

“I am thankful for the DAR and all they do for the community,” said Larry Doiron, who brought a neighbor along so both families could receive groceries.

Ken Sanders, 74, echoed Doiron’s comments. He picked up groceries for himself and a 97-year-old neighbor.

“You are gracious and generous to give back to the community, to people who can use it,” Sanders said. “It is nice to receive something free for a change.”

DAR Publisher Chris Pruett said, “when we started this project our goal was to fill 50 grocery bags with food, but when the donations started coming in we hit 60, 70 and then 80. I’m so proud of our employees. They showed how much they care about their community and residents.”

This is the second community project the newspaper has done in the past year.

“In August we had a free cook-out for the community and we ended up serving 500 meals that day,” Pruett said. “I’m proud of the way our employees have stepped up.”

Each bag contained eggs, bread, hot dogs, lunch meat, cereal, macaroni and cheese, pasta sauce and noodles, Ramen noodles, spaghetti and meatballs and saltine crackers.

Editor Donna Farley recalled a rule her mother had at meal time when she was growing up.

“Kids plates got made first,” Farley said. “It was because she was never sure if what she had would stretch.”

But, Farley said, her mother “also never turned away any neighbor who might have been there around meal time, especially if they had children who would go home to less than what she could provide. Even if it meant the food ended before all the plates were filled, as long as all the kids ate.”

Farley explained she “grew up in a rural neighborhood where many struggled, including my family. We were fortunate to receive help from our community. Our school district, our church, other neighbors and many generous people offered helping hands.”

Because Farley “had so many wonderful examples of community growing up, I was excited when the DAR decided to offer a grocery giveaway to neighbors in need.”

Learning early it is important to help when you can, Farley said, “It’s something we see every day in Butler County and I’m proud the DAR could play a small part in that.”

Composition Director Bridget Curnutt remembers “a time when I was very young, under or about the age of 4, living in a camper out in the middle of nowhere with my mom and two brothers. All we had to eat was cans of black olives. We made the best of it, of course, like children do, and would put the olives on the end of our fingers and popped one in our mouth, one at a time. No, we didn’t know anything was ‘wrong.’”

“Now, I am very blessed in my life,” Curnutt said. “For me, giving back and helping anyone in need, makes my heart smile and completes my soul.”