Picayune-KBEY Food Drive collects thousands of dollars and pounds of food
Marble Falls firefighters unload a truck of donations dropped off for The Picayune-KBEY Food Drive on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Kelly Oestreich (left), Bjorn Neuville, Bailee Hasenpflug, and Justin Parks had a good time for a good cause. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The 11th annual Picayune-KBEY Food Drive on Wednesday, Nov. 9, collected $9,452 and 4,965 pounds of food, which will be given to The Helping Center of Marble Falls and LACare in Burnet.
KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune Operations Manager Ben Shields manned a mobile station and broadcasted live from the Marble Falls Fire Department, while morning show host Mac McClennahan was at the fire station in Burnet. More than 100 people dropped off food and cash donations at both sites. The drive ran from 6 a.m.-3 p.m.
“It’s a really good start, probably one of the better 6 a.m. starts we’ve had,” said Shields on the morning of the drive.
Marble Falls Police Chief Glenn Hanson was on site helping firefighters unload donations and visiting with good samaritans dropping off food and checks.
Local business owners Linzi and Tanker Harris of Tanker’s Plumbing and Septic stopped by with as much food as their SUV could carry. Their business was a food drive sponsor.
“For us, it’s just a part of giving back to the community,” Linzi said. “Obviously, our business wouldn’t be where it is without the community supporting us.”
Tanker explained that he has had friends and family who have struggled to make ends meet in the past.
“We’re fortunate and blessed to have a good business, so why couldn’t we give back a little bit?” he said. “All the people who have used our services have in some way donated today.”
The food and cash collected in Marble Falls will be donated to The Helping Center, a food pantry and resource center for Highland Lakes families in need.
In Burnet, McClennahan was joined by Burnet firefighters and CareFlite personnel, who worked to fill a trailer with food donations, which will go to LACare in Burnet.
“We’re having a great morning out here,” McClennahan said. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a full trailer before we leave.”
Deputy Fire Chief Curtis Murphy has been participating in the food drive for the past eight years and mentioned that people might need the donations more than ever due to a struggling economy.
“We’ve been pretty busy this morning. I think we’re ahead from last year,” Murphy said. “This is just to help support the community and help out as much as we can.”
One of McClennahan’s first duties when he began working for KBEY two years ago was to help run the food drive.
“To spend the day out and have people come by and bring food or money for these organizations in our area, it warms the heart and makes you want to dig deeper and be a part of this community,” he said.
KBEY 103.9 FM and The Picayune Magazine thank the many sponsors who made the food drive a success and the locals who came out in force to help feed those in need in the Highland Lakes.
SPONSORS
- Schlotzsky’s in Marble Falls
- Tankers Plumbing & Septics
- Dale Brown Properties
- Custom Creations
- Ayoba Village
- Putters & Gutters
- McDonalds in Marble Falls
- Ken’s Heating & Air Conditioning
- Advanced Pain Care
- My Texas Home Broker
- Lake Country Dental
- Vaping Elements