Valley's generosity continues to amaze

The generosity of Carson Valley continues to amaze all of Northern Nevada. This year's annual Channel 2 News "Share Your Holiday" Food Drive received 48,399 pounds of food (2006 - 34,309 pounds) and $25,832 in monetary donations (2006 - $21,893). We always have a goal of surpassing the previous year's numbers, but this was a real shock.

All of these donations will be used by the Carson Valley Community Food Closet to help persons within Douglas County that are less fortunate than our selves. For your ongoing support of the food closet, we say thank you, thank you, thank you.

This exciting 12 hours of holiday giving would not have been possible without our sponsor KTVN Channel 2 News and our hosts for the past eight years, the Carson Valley Inn. These two community-minded businesses continue to support the food closet throughout the year and for this we give you our heart felt thanks.

We also wish to thank all of those who came out to help make this such a success by volunteering (from as far as Sacramento), entertaining or making special presentations of donations.

You may recognize some of the following names, so the next time that you see them tell them well done:

Nevada State Prisons correctional officers (seven years in a row).Whit Landvater - hot air balloon, Minden Village businesses, Carson Valley Lions Club with Dolly's Llamas, Sunflower Learning Center (daycare), Carson Valley Community Food Closet Crafters, Neil Hill of "A Sign Shop," Care Flight (Santa), Sunshine and Rainbows daycare, Carson Valley United Methodist Church Carolers, Kiwanis Club of Carson Valley, St. Gall Catholic Church daycare, Tumbleweeds Gymnastics, Douglas High School Jazz Band and Madrigal Singers, directed by Bill Zabelsky, "The Bell Cases" Carson Valley United Methodist Church Youth Bell Choir, directed by Kathy Chipman Wicker, Carson Valley Sertoma Club, Raley's and their customers, The Gall Stones St. Gall Catholic Church Youth Band, Douglas Disposal, Inc., East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts and the cadets, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Sheriff's Mounted Posse, Douglas High School's Tigers Helping Each Other, Marines from Pickel Meadows Mountain Warfare Training Marine Base and food closet volunteers (some who were there for 14 hours).

A special thank you to those that provided food for the volunteers: The Carson Valley Inn for the pastries and hot drinks, Starbucks and Gil Goode for the barbecue tri-tip cooked on site.

A very special thanks to the Douglas County Sheriff's Protective Association who continue to supply us with candy canes for all of the people who come to the food drive and to Dan and Sandie Morris who always make sure that dog treats are on hand for our four-legged friends.

Happy holidays to one and all that made this year's food drive such a miraculous event.

n Len Frueh is the Carson Valley Community Food Closet food drive chairman and a Gardnerville resident.