Food collection cracks new record

Friday provided a 37-ton surprise to organizers of the Share Your Christmas Food drive.

"Basically, we weren't prepared to receive what we had last year," organizer Len Frueh said. "We assumed it was not going to be as much as it was in previous years."

But a last minute delivery by Raley's broke yet another record for food collections, bringing the total for Friday's drive, sponsored by KTVN-TV, to 76,156 pounds for the Carson Valley Community Food Closet.

"That's a lot of food," Frueh said. "We over stockpiled the food closet, and then we had two volunteers donate garage space."

Frueh said Friday's haul will last the food closet through the end of March at its present rate.

The number of meals provided have increased by 30 percent this year, and are on track to hit 440,000 meals for 2009, Frueh said.

"My estimate is by the end of March, the food we received on Friday will be used," he said. "That's why we need the continued support of the community. Without it, we would not be here."

Frueh said one of the challenges for the coming year will be to find more space for the food closet.

"The food closet needs a larger space," he said. "I'm not sure how we're going to get it, but the amount of food we're receiving and the demand are both way up."