Press
Jackson Media teams go head to head in supermarket sweep
(April 11, 2014) — It was another clash of the carts Tuesday morning as seven teams took to the aisles of Polly’s Country Market to collect groceries for the Food Bank of South Central Michigan’s member agency – Salvation Army – in hopes of coming away with a first place trophy.
“This is the fastest five minutes you’ll ever see,” said Holly Cavinder, communications manager at the Food Bank. “It’s total chaos for a really great cause.”
For five minutes three-person teams cruised up and down the aisles of their local Spartan store in order to collect as many items as they could off of a special list. The list represents some of the Food Bank’s most-needed or rarely donated items like tuna fish, peanut butter and diapers. The team that collected the highest number of correct items off the list without duplicating was declared the winner.
This year’s first place honors went to Home.FM, who collected 63 of a possible 63 items. Their team consisted of Kaitlyn Tracy, Tonya Hernandez and Jamin Bradley. They collected $193.49 worth of groceries. Second place honors went to American 1 Credit Union with team members Shaun Whitehouse, Tim Hernandez and Carrie Clayton. For those who noticed that members of the first and second place teams share a last name – that’s no coincidence – we had a married couple competing against each other this year. They collected 60 items totaling $180.68. Third place went to the team from K105.3, consisting of Steve Boyle, Jared Hammond and Shannon Hennessy. They collected 57 correct items totaling $177.08.
This year’s very prestigious Wobbly Wheel award went to the team JTV – Bart Hawley, Jim Franicis and Larry Jacobson. This award is given to the team who collects the fewest number of correct items. The team collected in impressive 53 out of 63 items, representing $150.30 worth of groceries – not too shabby.
“Each and every team that participates brings in a substantial amount of food for the Food Bank,” said Dave Karr, executive director of the Food Bank. “They are all winner in my book.”
Other teams participating in this year’s sweep included: Jackson Magazine – Tim Rilett, Bill Bailey and Mina Hami and The Salesman – Kara DeChalk, Karie Watson and Kathy Palon.
A total of 344 items were collected, representing $1,051.61 worth of groceries donated by Polly’s Country Market and American 1 Credit Union to the Jackson Salvation Army. The Food Bank serves more than 102,600 people each year in eight counties, including Jackson – and it is grass-roots food collections such as this one that help to make that work possible.
“We are so grateful for the generosity of Polly’s Country Market and American 1 Credit Union and are particularly thankful for store director the wonderful staff at the Polly’s store on Ferguson Road,” said Cheryl Proctor, director of member agency relations at the food bank. “They really go above and beyond.”
The Food Bank of South Central Michigan serves a 285 member hunger-relief network, helping area families in Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Hillsdale, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lenawee and St. Joseph counties. The Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, formerly America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network and the Food Bank Council of Michigan. The Food Bank is also a United Way program delivery partner.