Additional donations needed to make it through holidays

By PATRICIA STEELE, DAILY SUN

Thursday, November 5, 2009 12:42 AM EST

LADY LAKE — On Monday morning, the Christian Food Pantry in Lady Lake had 130 frozen turkeys earmarked for its clients’ holiday dinners.

By Tuesday afternoon the number was reduced to 80.

“That still sounds like a lot of turkey,” Cheryl Hershberger said. “But we’ll need approximately 800 turkeys to make it through Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Hershberger, director of the Christian Food Pantry in Lady Lake, has watched the client base grow from about 125 to 400 families served each month since she became director about six years ago.

“The need has grown, and fortunately the donations have also grown, so each family not only receives food, but receives more food than they did three years ago,” Hershberger said. “But in order for this to happen, we do need donations. The community is great, but sometimes the pantry does get bare.”

During the holiday season, the need increases, and the pantry, a ministry of North Lake Presbyterian Church, provides holiday food packages as well as the regular monthly food supply.

“We need all the fixings for a holiday meal,” Hershberger said. “We’ll need turkeys, stuffing, sweet potatoes, boxed mashed potatoes, mushroom soup, French-fried onion rings, turkey gravy, canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce and evaporated milk.”

She indicated the shelves that held some of the supplies such as green beans, canned pumpkin and boxed stuffing, and noted there was nowhere near enough food for this month, much less December.

Alberta Scavullo has been a regular Tuesday volunteer at the pantry for more than two years.

“I enjoy being here, knowing that I’m doing something for the community,” Scavullo, a Village of Calumet Grove resident, said. “I love seeing the surprise on their faces when they see how many bags of groceries they receive. They come expecting bread and a few items, and they receive meat, dairy, baked goods and the regular staples.”

Scavullo knows her volunteering helps others, but she says it really helps her. She loves being able to give back to the community.

The pantry, located at 103 High St., is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and while clients may pick up their food any day they choose, they are limited to one visit per month.

The pantry serves low-income families in Lady Lake, The Villages and Summerfield to County Road 42.

The only criteria to qualify for the food distribution is a valid Florida driver’s license with an up-to-date address and a piece of mail with the corresponding address. This can be a utility bill or any other type of statement. It must be current.

For additional information or to make a financial or food donation, contact the pantry at 259-0788.

Patricia Steele is a reporter with the Daily Sun. She can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 7992, or patricia.steele@thevillagesmedia.com.