The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

The new Rhinelander Area Food Pantry has a mission: "To strive to achieve food security for everyone in our community through collaboration, cooperation, advocacy, resource sharing, and increased public awareness."

The "increased public awareness" was evident from the crowd at the volunteer meeting for the food pantry. More than 50 people showed up at the library to take responsibility for the new program.

Gib Durkin is the new executive director of the food pantry and Lois Blonski will serve as food pantry manager.

Durkin, from Rhinelander, was Chief of Probation and Parole for the Corrections Department, Northern Region, and later a pyschiatric social worker for Howard Young hospital..

Lois Blonski runs the St. Joseph Thrift Shop and will manage the shop at the new location, the former Rueckert's grocery store on North Brown.

Cooperation was evident in many ways. St. Joseph's Church has donated space in its new thrift shop for the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry. Three Lakes Food Pantry, represented by Sandra Findlay and Lynn Majewski, has taken the Rhinelander pantry under its wing and donated $1,000 for the first order from Second Harvest.

Jean Petrowski from the Lakeland Area Food Pantry was at the meeting, lending her experience. Toni Rogers, Oneida County Nutrition Education Coordinator, provided the statistics about the number of hungry in the area, but was upbeat about the gathering. "I believe with all my heart that we can meet this challenge and make us all proud," said Rogers.

Paul Dean, representing the Oneida County Board, has worked with the Emergency Food Pantry for three years. "I look at this group and feel real happy. This pantry is overdue; kids are going to school hungry," said Dean.

"The food pantry is the first line of defense for the poor, and the volunteers are the army," said Dean.

Durkin spoke about those who are "food insecure", mentioned parents who tell their kids they'll eat later, and how families have been driving miles for food.

Area food pantries, 15 in all, will order Second Harvest food as a group to stretch money- $1,000 will buy $4,000 of food from Second Harvest and transportation costs will be shared by the pantries.

The biggest gift to the new pantry's fundraising drive was the $7,500 donated by American Plastics in combination with its parent company, Appleton Papers.

"Rhinelander hadn't come together as a group before," said Durkin. "I don't remember statistics in my head but in my heart when I think of the hungry." To learn more about the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry call Durkin at 277-3493 or Lois Blonski at 362-4545.

Tell us what you think...

Comments »

The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rhinelander Daily News.