Always the second Saturday in May, we give thanks for our letter carriers and volunteers who go mailbox to mailbox for food for the hungry.

This year marked the 20th anniversary as the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 775, Niles, Buchanan, Berrien Springs, Dowagiac, Three Oaks and New Buffalo worked to fill our local food banks.

We pulled in 43,841 pounds, with Niles at 23,100 pounds. We were down from last year’s amounts of 49,204 pounds and Niles at 28,000 pounds. Last year’s total was 79.2 million pounds nationwide.

Maybe there were more lightweight boxed foods or maybe the hard times figured in this year’s total. We are still proud of this good haul of food.

Big thank yous to all the dockworkers, especially to cheerful and hardworking Gladys Tibbs, who has worked every food drive with husband Rodger. We miss you, Rodger, good union brother.

And a huge thank you to Kyle Kelley, who worked hard all day long.

Thanks to all the behind-the-scenes workers doing the usual good job, year after year.

Thank you to the newspapers and radio stations for the coverage.

We are grateful to the food banks for working all year long to feed the hungry.

Tons of thank yous for food for the workers (or coupons for kids’ goodie bags): NALC Branch 775, Martin’s Super Markets, Hacker’s Golf, Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, Subway, Wings Etc., Mancino’s, Taco Bell, Milano’s, Pizza Transit, 3rd Street Pizzeria, Little Caesar’s and Union Coffee House in downtown Buchanan.

And many thank yous to all of our generous patrons who donated the food.

Sincerely,

Chris Cloud and the Letter Carriers Food Drive workers