‘Week of Service’ benefits local food banks

The Marysville and Arlington community food banks will be among the beneficiaries of the week-long food drive conducted by the Arlington stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from Monday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept. 14.

September 4, 2013 9:26 am

For three years running, this annual event has honored America’s National Day of Service and memorialized the Sept. 11 attacks by enlisting the aid of dozens of businesses, churches and other organizations in Marysville, Arlington, Darrington, Stanwood and Camano Island to support their local food banks.

“The volunteers and I are really looking forward to this event,” Marysville Community Food Bank Director Dell Deierling said. “It is so well-run, and generates tons of food at a time when our shelves are the leanest. And what a great way to help heal the wounds left by 9/11, by helping one’s neighbor.”

“We are very grateful to be one of the recipients of the annual ‘Week of Service’ food drive,” Arlington Community Food Bank President Sue Keezer said. “We are so thankful for any contributions to help feed the hungry in our community.”

Since the first such community food drive was held in 2011, hundreds of volunteers from each of these communities have invested numerous hours collecting, weighing, sorting and packaging the donated foods for delivery to their respective food banks. That same year, more than 23,000 pounds of food were collected, with similar results in 2012.

Food bank representatives encourage community members to donate canned meat, peanut butter, Ensure, baby formula and healthy, kid-friendly snacks, along with other essentials including laundry detergent, toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes and toiletries. These non-perishable food items, hygiene supplies and monetary contributions may be dropped off at volunteer-staffed donation boxes at the following locations.

Marysville: