Tuesday, May 9, 2000

Sinton food drive offers nifty prize

It may not be a Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes notice of cash, car or other prizes. But this week, a trip to the post office can earn Sinton residents a win of another sort.
   On Saturday, the Sinton Post Office joins posts offices throughout the nation in collecting canned food donations for the National Association of Letter Carriers' Food Drive, an annual event on the second Saturday in May.
   In an attempt to increase its level of participation, Sinton is sponsoring a "Rename a Street For a Week" campaign. Businesses, groups or individuals donating at least 100 pounds of food can rename U.S. Highway 77, U.S. Highway 181 or one of Sinton's major streets (such as Market, San Patricio, Sinton, Sodville or Vineyard) after their company or family name. All other streets, county roads or highways may be renamed for a minimum donation of 20 pounds of food.
   "All of this is just for the fun of it," said Martha Habluetzel, Sinton Post Office distribution clerk and coordinator of the Sinton food drive. "Nothing will be changed legally. It's all just for a good cause."
   Last year, the association in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service collected more than 50 million pounds of food nationwide; 45,300 pounds of that collected in the Coastal Bend alone, said Carmen Tamez of the association's local branch office.
   Goals of food drives
   Coastal Bend post office food drives already under way include Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Taft, Ingleside, Portland, Mathis, Alice, Aransas Pass, Falfurrias, Refugio, Robstown, Rockport, Bishop and San Diego. The goal for the area is 50,000 pounds, Tamez said.
   Sinton is looking to donate more than ever to the Sinton Food Pantry, challenging every resident to donate at least one can.
   "In fact, if every house in the area donated one can of food, we could fill up food pantries throughout the Coastal Bend," Habluetzel said.
   To donate, Coastal Bend residents are urged to leave their donation of non-perishable food by their mailboxes early Saturday, to be picked up by letter carriers during their route. Or, Corpus Christi residents can drop off their donations at any post office or the association's branch office, 1220 S. Alameda St., during business hours.
   Multiple objectives, uses
   Beginning today, Sinton will display a county map at its post office lobby, renaming streets as big donations are made. The map will remain on display for the next two weeks. Residents making large donations should deposit their canned food at the Sinton Post Office, 104 S. San Patricio Ave.; smaller donations can be left by residents' mailboxes.
   Each community's food drive, Habluetzel said, benefits its own food bank.
   "We have other food drives in the community that help the food pantry during the holidays," Habluetzel said. "But this is the one they count on to carry them through the summer. It also helps replenish pantry shelves for emergency preparedness during hurricane season."
   To find out about your community's drive, contact your local post office. For information about Corpus Christi's food drive, call Robert Lerma Jr. at 882-9810 from 1-5 p.m.
  
  
 

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