Published Sunday, November 29, 2009

Grand Can-A-Thon finale Tuesday

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Newnan Times-Herald

In this time of rampant unemployment and foreclosures, some food pantries around the country are running out of food or even closing down.

In Coweta County, the need has been great, but so has the generosity of the community.

It's been tight -- and a bit scary -- at times, but the Coweta Community Food Pantry has been able to keep food on the shelves.

And Cowetans appear to have responded to the need and the economic crisis with more vigor than ever before.

The county's schools have always been the heart of the Can-A-Thon.

But this year, even more businesses and groups are getting involved. Many businesses are acting as drop-off points for the Coweta Can-A-Thon, and some are offering discounts of various kinds with the donation of a certain number of items. At a local bank, different branches are competing against each other to see which branch can bring in the most cans, and a local apartment complex is waiving the application fee for new tenants who bring in a donation.

"People are being very innovative about what they are doing," said Derenda Rowe, food pantry director.

"They are coming out with new and different ways to get people excited, and to get people to participate," said Lora Beck, 2009 Can-A-Thon chairwoman for the Newnan Junior Service League, which sponsors the annual Can-A-Thon. This will be the 26th year.

Many businesses that are always big donators have been very helpful in keeping food on pantry shelves throughout the summer.

And local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops have been doing even more than usual to collect food and money. Rowe said she was taking a food pantry volunteer home to Grantville when a woman stopped them. She told them that her scout troop was collecting food for the Can-A-Thon. "It was misting rain, and they were going down the road, from house to house, collecting food," Rowe said.

The troop of first- through third-graders "brought quite a bit of food," Rowe said. "I think it was about five buggies worth of food. In less than an hour, they had checked it all for expiration and put it on the shelves."

"And not only are they doing that through the Girl Scouts, many of them were in public schools, so they're also donating through the schools. And some people are donating at their churches," Rowe said.

The grand finale for the Can-A-Thon comes Tuesday.

Public drop-off points in downtown Newnan and Senoia will be manned with volunteers. The Newnan drop-off point at North Court Square will be open 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Senoia drop-off point, at the intersection of Main and Seavy streets, will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Volunteers will unload items, and you don't have to get out of your car. Monetary donations are gladly accepted and are calculated at three cans per dollar. Checks should be made to the Coweta Community Food Pantry.

The food pantry, operated by a board with representatives from several local churches, is now housed with the One Roof outreach ministry at the site of the old Playtex plant on Temple Avenue.