A4 THE SALAMANCA PRESS
WVDP volunteers make annualdonation to local food pantries
By Deb EvertsPress Reporter
SALAMANCA — To spreadgood will for the upcoming holiday season, employees from theWest Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) and its subcontractors gathered Friday at Sander’sParkview, volunteering their timeand energy to once again distributefood to nine local food pantries.
According to volunteer coordinator Lettie Chilson, this year’sWVDP Food Drive fundraising effort included food donations fromemployees themselves and wasresponsible for the distribution of102,000 pounds of food, including360 turkeys, to area pantries.
Chilson said 40 turkeys willgo to each of the nine food pantrysites at Ellicottville, Franklinville,Delevan, West Valley, Little Valley, Cattaraugus, Dayton and twopantries in Springville. She said -
the total amount of food couldchange if they get any last minutedonations.
“We were able to provide eachsite with over 200 bags of foodto benefit local families,” shesaid. “Some of the sites distributebetween 150 to 200 bags, whileothers do a smaller number, butthe larger pantries like Springvilleand Franklinville have the largestneed in Cattaraugus County — andthe surrounding area — and we areable to help out a lot.”
The food drive started as a drivejust for the local West Valley foodpantry, Chilson said WVDP has
been doing this drive for over 25years and every year it has grown.She said all the volunteers for thisdrive are members of the team, andthey have embraced this event astheir big team effort charity for theyear.
“We’ve partnered with Sander’sParkview but, in the past, Springville Wal—Mart has provided turkeys.” she said. “Wal-Mart wouldhave provided the turkeys againthis year, but Parkview was able toget them for us.”
A store employee at Sander’sParkview said owners Jake andMark Sanders participate in thisfood drive for area pantries because they are very family-orientedand they don’t want to see familiesgo without.
Chilson said Sander’s Parkviewand American B & B are majorsubcontractors at West Valley.They participate by either doñations or through their employeeswho volunteer.
“So, it really is a team at WestValley. along with our customers,the United States Department ofEnergy (USDOE) and New YorkState Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).All of their employees participate,”she said.
Joe Pillittere, communicationsmanager for WVDP, said this ishis first year working at the WVDPsite, but it’s not his first yearvolunteering for the annual fooddrive.
“I was here participating in2000 and 2003 when we did the
food drive, but it has expanded tonine pantries since then,” he said.“The drive changes yearly. Wecollect more food and it gets betterevery year.”
According to Chilson, not onlydoes this collected food coverThanksgiving, it also carries overtoward the Christmas holiday.She said the Friday delivery waswhat they had on-hand as of Nov.14, that she can confirm, and thedrive continues for two more days.When the final accounting is done,they’ll buy additional turkeys forthe Christmas season for all thefood pantries.
Chilson said since its inception, 1.3 million pounds of foodhave been distributed from thisvolunteer program through theWest Valley Demonstration facility. Through donations, 102,000equivalent pounds will be distributéd this year, but not everythingis in yet.
“The food that was loadedon the truck today at Sander’sParkview was just a representative of all the thousands of poundsof food that has been donated andwill be distributed prior to Thanksgiving Day,” she said on Friday.
Pillittere said the bottom linereally is this type of effort fromemployees, subcontractors andtheir partners at the USDOE andNYSERDA really helps build thequality of life for not only the employees, but the community itself.
(Contact reporter Deb Everts atsalpressdeb @gmail.com.)
_. -—
Press photo by Deb EvertsIn the spirit of the season, volunteers from the West Valley Demonstration Project and its subcontractors met at Sander’sParkview Nov. 17 to load and deliver donated food to area pantries right before the holiday.
November 23-29, 2017
