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Vol. 27, No. 19 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | September 8, 2010
Cupboards are bare at local food pantry By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com While summer usually mean fun and sun, the months also signal a slowdown in contributions to charitable organizations. Such is the case for the food pantry operated by Mechanicsville Churches Emergency Functions (MCEF). A nursery rhyme refers to the cupboard being bare – that image can describe today’s bleak situation at the
MCEF operation. Mechanicsville resident Carolee Stuckey attends the Episcopal Church of the Creator on Mechanicsville Turnpike, where the food pantry is based. She is so dedicated to the work that she calls herself “queen of the food pantry.” Pam Gardner also resides in Mechanicsville and attends the Episcopal Church of the Creator. Humbly, she said “I help out” with the food pantry.
‘Set the Example’ as new term starts (Editor’s note: Col. V. Stuart Cook, sheriff of Hanover County, submitted the following letter, titled “Set the Example,” as students start the 2010-2011 school term.) Dear parents and students: During the past 20 years of service as sheriff of Hanover County, I have watched many of you grow up in Hanover County, attend and graduate from the very best school system, and, now, our children and grandchildren are an integral
part of these very same schools. As I will retire on Oct. 1, 2010, I want to assure you that all of our students’ best interests and safety will remain paramount to the men and women of the Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office. My successor, Lt. Col. David R. Hines, will serve as your sheriff and I am confident that he will continue to carry on the mission of the Sheriff ’s Office and provide see EXAMPLE, pg. 4 `
The decrease in donations is nothing new this time of year though. “This is an annual problem,” Carolee said. “This is a church organization, so people come to church and bring their three cans of tuna fish. They’ll bring their food, but when they spend the summer at the river – every weekend at the river – they aren’t coming to church and they aren’t bringing their three cans of tuna fish.” The dilemma, however, is not limited
to the MCEF food pantry. “It’s a problem that all the food pantries have,” she added. The Central Virginia Food Bank also suffers during the summer months. “Food pantries are in real trouble, starting usually in July and going through September,” Carolee said. “And then school starts, people come back to church, and all the food pantries tend to recover by the first of October.” see FOOD, pg. 4 `
“[I] saw how bare the cupboards were. I was shocked. I found it (the food pantry) to be completely depleted.” PAM GARDNER MCEF volunteer
Expired license enforcement eased by glitch
Hanover vs. Atlee
Charlie Leffler/The Local
A large crowd watched as the Hanover and Atlee field hockey teams battled it out last week for the upper hand in the Capital District. Hanover’s Jullina Moore (20) pushes the ball ahead of Atlee’s Lauren Maimane (15). The Hawks won the contest 2-1.
On the heels of last week’s computer glitch at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, the Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office is not enf orc i n g expired driver’s licenses that have or will expire Aug. 25 through TRICE Sept. 30. According to Capt. Michael J. Trice, the broad computer crisis that struck several state agencies, including the DMV, has created a significant backlog see GLITCH, pg. 4 `