Community Corner
Mentor Fire Department Helps Collect Food, Toys and Clothing for Needy Families
Mentor Was the Launch City for Channel 19's "Share Your Holidays" Campaign That Continues This Week in Other Communities Throughout Northeast Ohio
Mentor teen Makayla Groskopf saw it on the afternoon news Monday and wanted to help.
The Mentor Fire Department was helping Channel 19 at on Mentor Avenue collect food, toys, clothing and money for needy families throughout Northeast Ohio.
"She saw it on the news, so she brought out her Sponge Bob chicken soup and the $2 in her bank," said her proud mom. "She also donated three coats to the 'coats for kids' drive today as well."
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The Mentor Fire Department partnered with Channel 19 to launch its new "Share Your Holiday" campaign to collect food, clothing and toys for needy Northeast Ohio families.
"We are the kick off city for this fundraising event," said Mentor Fire Department's Public Education Specialist Nate Peters, who with other Mentor firefighters assisted Channel 19 and helped collect donations from residents.
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Throughout this week, Channel 19 also is holding additional donation drives in Highland Heights, Garfield Heights, Avon and Cleveland in partnership with other businesses such as KeyBank, AT&T, Tim Misny and Associates and the Arts & Science Preparatory Academy.
The Cleveland-based news station broadcasted live yesterday from Levin's Furniture parking lot during its 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts.
ladder truck 1159 was used in one of the newscasts. Weatherman Jim Tanchak stepped in the ladder truck's bucket and Mentor firefighters lifted him approximately 30 feet in the air from where he did one of the broadcasts using a wireless microphone.
Representatives from the Cleveland Foodbank, the Salvation Army and the City Mission of Cleveland also were on hand to help collect donations.
The Lake County Captains made a $300 donation to the three charities, and the team's mascot, Skipper, was doing all sorts of silly things to keep people's minds off the cold weather.
"We do events to raise money for Captains' Charities all year long so this is a natural event to be a part of," said Bill Levy, director of special events for the minor league baseball team.
By 6 p.m., Bryan Walker of Mentor, representing the Cleveland Foodbank, said more than 1500 pounds of food had been donated. And Felix Padilla, pastor of the Painesville Salvation Army in Painesville, estimated about $400 was donated.
"There's been a steady stream of people coming out so it's worked out good," said Peters. "It's just another way we step up to help the community."