Medical Lake food bank provides holiday meals

MEDICAL LAKE – The local food bank handed out 326 meals to indigent residents Nov. 23.

Director Terri Worl said families received a turkey along with a large box of canned foods and other Thanksgiving favorites.

Recipients lining up at 207 S. Washington St. also got bags filled with fruit, rolls and other healthy eating options, she said. All of the food was provided by Tom's Turkey Drive and Second Harvest Foods in Spokane.

Volunteers consisting of residents, Fairchild Air Force Base personnel and Lion's Club members made the event possible, she said.

"This is the best group of people I've ever worked with," she said. "Our volunteers go above and beyond."

Wayne Ueda, who has volunteered with the food bank for 10 years said, "Terri is the heart and soul of this program, even if she won't take any of the credit."

Ueda said the director is always looking for ways to improve operations and raise awareness.

Food bank board President Tori Hammel said the group works extremely hard to "help the less fortunate in the area " and have a positive impact on food issues.

She said everyone is very open to learning from one another and these efforts wouldn't be possible without such dedicated individuals.

Hammel said the food bank will also be offering hams with weekly pick-ups in December and into the Christmas season.

Mary Seagrave is another Medical Lake resident that volunteers her efforts.

"All of these meals go to folks that may not be fortunate enough to have a hot dinner, and it is a heart-warming feeling knowing that many people will eat heartily," she said.

Some volunteers are seeing the food drive for the first or second time, and Sandy Flood from Medical Lake said she was "awestruck and amazed at the amount of food people receive."

Flood said she has always seen these efforts from an external perspective, and she enjoys seeing it from a different point of view now.

She said it is "extremely helpful to the older population, because sometimes the older residents can't keep their cupboards full, and it is very comforting to know these folks will receive help."

Reporter Matthew O Stephens can be reached at [email protected] .