ThisWeek CW 07/23/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/07/20/groveport-food-pantry-supporters-hope-to-remodel-building-move-operations.html

Since 1997, the Groveport Food Pantry has operated out of a small room in the basement of the Madison Township Community Center, but if supporters can raise enough money to make repairs to a building at 525 Cherry St., the pantry may finally have its own home.

Director Becky Soles said the donation of the Cherry Street building from the city of Groveport earlier this year will allow the pantry to expand to serve a growing client base and to finally be accessible to senior citizens and those with mobility issues.

However, she said, the building requires about $10,000 in repairs before the pantry can move in.

“We have a general contractor from one of our churches who is donating his time, along with several other contractors, so we’re just needing to purchase materials,” Soles said. “We operate solely off of donations as we don’t have any other source of revenue.

“We started in this basement serving about 25 families a month and when the economy tanked in 2007, we really increased how many people we serve. We’re serving about 100 families a month now.”

Golf outing

To continue meeting the food needs of its clients while also collecting donations to renovate 525 Cherry St., the food pantry will host a Fore for Food golf outing at 9 a.m., Friday, Aug. 21, at the Links at Groveport, 1005 Richardson Road.

The fee of $65 per person will include greens fees, a cart, lunch and a gift bag. Prizes will be awarded for the longest drive, closest to the pin, and the longest putt.

There is also a $100 hole sponsorship option which can be used to advertise a business or honor an individual.

“We’ve got some sponsors already for the golf outing and are looking for more, and we’re definitely looking for as many golfers as we can get,” Sole said. “If anyone who doesn’t golf wants to donate directly, they can do that as well.”

Registration for the golf outing is due Aug. 14 and can be completed by calling Mary Miles at 614-830-0721.

“We’re hoping for good weather. As long as it’s not raining, I think this will be a great event,” Soles said.

Proceeds will go toward making the Cherry Street building compliant with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, rehabilitating the bathrooms and repairing the heating and air conditioning systems.

“The rest of it is just a labor of love, elbow grease and lots of soap to clean it up and set it all up,” Soles said. “We hope to have access to the building by September and then be able to move in by the end of this year.”