Realtors' Annual Food Drive for Gleaners

For the last 13 years, the Livingston County Association of Realtors (LCAR) have been collecting food and money for Gleaners Community Food Bank (GCFB).  It started out with just a downtown Brighton location at the millpond and was/is still called 'Fill The Gazebo'. But a number of years ago, we branched out to locations in Howell.  Some large markets gave permission for us to collect, too, and if you hit the main intersections of Brighton or Howell you'll see volunteers with containers to collect that pesky loose change that accumulates in your vehicle console.

Gleaners can amazingly provide 3 meals for 1 dollar. And by donating money instead of non-perishable food, there's less handling and loss.  But the food items are greatly appreciated, too. Livingston County is viewed by some as not needing this type of event, but the need is actually so great that we don't collect enough food within the County to serve our residents.  That's right, food has to come in from other Gleaners locations to meet the need.

So please plan to donate something.  A few bucks in loose change, a generous check made payable to "GCFB", or drop off food at these locations from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday, May 2nd.

• Downtown Brighton's Millpond Gazebo on Main Street
• Howell Gazebo near the Livingston County Courthouse on Grand River
• GFS Marketplace in Brighton
• Kroger in Brighton, Howell, Hamburg and Hartland
• Wal-Mart in Howell and Hartland

Suggested items to donate: tuna, Spaghetti O's, canned meat, and chunky soup.   

You can also drop off food and checks at my office, Preview Properties, 130 W. Grand River, Brighton 48116 if you can't make the food drive.  Or you can make a monetary donation online that will get credited to our food drive and is tax deductible at:  www.gcfb.org/FilltheGazebo

Last year, we collected 5,300 pounds of food in addition to $11,431 in cash donations. This provided a grand total of 38,692 nutritious meals.

image courtesy LCAR

Livingston County Realtors To Conduct Food Drive - May 7th!

On Saturday, May 7, 2011, the Livingston County Association of Realtors will again have a food drive for Gleaners Community Food Bank. In 2010 we hit 39,000 meals collected! Our goal this year is 40,000 meals.

Drop off points include the Brighton Millpond and the Howell Gazebo, next to the Historic County Courthouse. In Brighton, you can pull up on Main Street and volunteers will be there to take your food item donations between 9am and 2pm.

Suggested items are canned meals, PB&J, macaroni & cheese, cereal, spaghetti and meat sauce, toiletries and laundry detergent. No products in glass containers, please.

You can also make monetary donations. With the food bank's buying power, $1 can actually provide 3 meals! It always makes ME feel better to donate food items, but money feeds more people.

Most local Real Estate offices will be collection points, and on the day of the food drive many local grocery stores will have volunteers stationed to take donations, too.

If you can't make it on the 7th, consider dropping off donations at my office at anytime before that date, or call me. I may be able to swing by between appointments and pick it up. Preview Properties and I will be happy to get the food to the drive for you.

The Holidays Are Closing In!

After a summer of spring-like weather, here we are starting to feel like Fall. And looking like it, too. I couldn't help but to compare the sky one day last week with the appearance of winter snow clouds.

Quite striking. And of course, the fire bushes are turning bright red, maples transitioning into their fall palette and flocks of birds flying towards the south. Even the squirrels seem to have picked up their activity level lately. I hope that's not a harbinger of a hard winter. As much as I like all four seasons, last winter was a harsh kick in the behind after many years of being mild.

The season also brings to mind the coming holidays. My office, Preview Properties, always supports the Livingston County Association of Realtors (LCAR) spring food drive, Fill The Gazebo, for Gleaners Community Food Bank. Recently the barrels appeared again in the office and it reminded me that this is a time of year when people on a tight budget have extra bills. Heating and more electicity needs are usually at the top of the list and sometimes they don't have money to buy enough food.

At the local grocery this week, I noticed canned goods on sale for $0.39 each. I bought a case each of corn and green beans, and a couple of other sale items to drop off in the Gleaners collection bin. I urge you, too, to think about those struggling families and make a similar effort. It won't cost much, and your donation will go far.

If you're local to my area, feel free to drop off donations at our office at 130 W. Grand River, Brighton 48116, or at the Gleaners Community Food Bank on Sterling Drive, off Dorr Rd just south of Grand River Ave.