The Montclair Rotary Club wants to thank the many residents who purchased groceries at the Kings Food Market on Valley Road and donated those items plus funds during our food drive on Saturday, Aug. 6. We appreciate each donor’s generous contribution.
We collected and contributed over 400 pounds of nonperishable groceries for Toni’s Kitchen at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Anne Mernin, the nonprofit’s executive director, estimated that people donated enough groceries for 300 or more healthy meals.
We also appreciate the support we received from Kings Food Markets’ store manager Kenny Rowe and the grocer’s whole team in Upper Montclair.
Our Rotarians were ready to greet shoppers on a 90-plus-degree day. We also talked with people about Toni’s Kitchen’s mission of providing food to neighbors in need in ways that respect their dignity, improve health and foster independence.
Rotarians who participated in the food drive were Georgia Brown, Linda Cranston, Jessica Egenasi, Paul Metcalfe, James Stefanile and myself plus Connie Eason, a friend of Rotary. We were assisted by Mike Straker and Marquis Whitney, who are members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
The Montclair Rotary is planning more community service projects during the coming months. We invite leaders of not-for-profits that also serve Montclair Township and nearby neighborhoods to form alliances with us. By joining forces and sharing our experience and resources, we have an opportunity to positively influence the lives of more people and families in our communities.
We look forward to reaching out and connecting with our friends at local nonprofits. You may contact me at MontclairRotary@gmail.com or attend one of our weekly meetings on Tuesdays beginning at 12:15 p.m. in the Greek Taverna on Bloomfield Avenue.
Lawrence K. Bogar
Montclair