Hayrides and bonfires help the hungry
The Halloween festivities can't come soon enough for volunteers at the FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville.
It's not that they want to be frightened by them; their bare shelves and coffers are scaring them enough these days.
"We have so many new families coming to us. A lot of people are out of jobs," said Marilyn Mack, FISH presidents. "Our shelves are empty. We really need the food drives that are coming up."
One will be held Friday when the Dundee Township Park District hold its Haunted Hayride Party at Randall Oaks Park. The cost for admission is $5, or $4 with a canned food item.
If the weather is dry, as many as 800 people could take the wagon rides through a scary cornfield, said Helen Shumate, the part district's marketing director.
"We have been known to fill a van with the food we collect," Shumate said. "We ask that people bring just canned food and no items in glass or boxed containers."
The rides for children 3-8 years old run from 5:30-7 p.m. Rides for the older children will begin at 7:30 p.m. and run until 9 p.m. During the hayrides, refreshments will be served and music and games will be played.
On the same night, the village of Gilberts will hold its annual bonfire and Halloween party, from 7-10 p.m. in Memorial Park. Local Boy Scouts are asking residents who attend it to bring a canned food item that will be given to the Carpentersville-based FISH Food Pantry.
Members of the Yellow Ribbon organization will also be distributing shoe boxes during the Gilberts party. Residents are asked to fill them with gum, toothpaste, playing cards and other small items. Each person who takes a box will be given a name of a U.S. soldier in Iraq. The residents are asked to send the filled boxes to the troops.
They should receive them before Thanksgiving, long after the food for the local pantry is gone.
"We've had such a demand this year," Mack said. "We haven't turned anyone away yet, but every day we pray when something runs out another donation will come in."
Dundee Township residents who can't afford food are allowed to go to the pantry once a month. The bags haven't been as filled as usual, but they do receive something.
"(Last week) Wednesday we served 35 families. On Monday, we served 30 families, Mack said. "So far this year we have served 3,358 families. At this rate, we're going to break last year's numbers of serving 4,000 families."
Monetary donations are also being spent on food faster than it comes in. Volunteers need $5,000 a month to buy items such as peanut butter.
"People are not going to get turkeys or hams for Thanksgiving this year," she said. "We just can't afford it. We would need from 400-500 turkeys and hams."
The FISH Food Pantry is in the Meadowdale Shopping Center. It is open from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
For information, call the pantry at (847) 428-4357.