By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Originally scheduled to run through Nov. 21, the organizers at the Millington Public Library reached their quota of donations for the 2020 Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive.
MPL Director Stephanie Kinsler was joined by Sara Mautino and other staff members in loading up a truck to deliver the food two days early to the Millington Food Pantry. The overwhelming contributions were not done just because the Library was ready to drive over to the Food Pantry.
During the loading process, a MPL faithful was bringing up another donation. Of course that was package was added to the final tally.
“We just wrapped up a successful food drive,” Kinsler said. “We only ran it for two weeks. The Thanksgiving holiday is coming and of course we have a lot of people in Millington that definitely wonder where the next meal is coming from.
“We basically just made a delivery of over 800 pounds of food,” she added. “We just took it over to the Millington Food Pantry located at the First United Methodist Church. Gail and Jim over there were happy to see a variety of food.”
The Millington Public Library located at 4858 Navy Road was the place since Nov. 7 taking in donations for the annual food drive to help with the need at Thanksgiving.
The donations from the MPL were in need for the relief effort for the Mid-South Food Bank and First United Methodist Church Food Pantry.
The MPL drive netted items like canned goods, macaroni and cheese, Ramen noodles, snacks (like pretzels and peanut butter), juice boxes and much more.
“A lot of packaged food goods which is important to remember not a lot of people have ways to heat up food in the community,” Kinsler noted. “If they are struggling with utility bills, they might not have power. It takes money to run a microwave or run a stove. We’ve always had a great outpouring of folks coming in dropping off things.
“Not just the regular Library patrons,” she concluded. “People saw it and came in bringing in food. Gail DeLancey over at the Food Pantry described it as ‘A little country town with a big heart.’ That’s one thing I’ve always seen here. We ask for things and the community responds.”
In the middle of the global pandemic, the Millington Public Library has taken safety measures during operation hours, offer online features, will do curbside delivery and still had community events.
Back in October the Trunk or Treat event handed out more than 7,000 pieces of candy to area children. Coming up in the next few weeks are Letters to Santa, an online event with Santa making a visit, the annual Tree Lighting (all outdoors) on Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m. and possibly another food drive for the Christmas season.
For more information, call 872-1585.
