Feed the hungry, watch the inauguration

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Bill Donovan
Staff writer

GALLUP — The folks at the Gallup Community Pantry have come up with a solution to solve two major problems facing the city next week.

The first is the shortage of food that the pantry currently find itself facing. The second is the fact that most of the people in Gallup won’t be going to Washington to attend the inauguration on Tuesday.

Community Pantry officials have arranged to have an inauguration party at the Gallup Best Western Inn Ballroom “with a program suitable for persons of all ages and musical interests.”

Jack Crowl, one of the coordinators of the event, said the main purpose of the event is to help fill the pantry’s shelves, which have been depleted because of current economic conditions, which has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of area families coming to the pantry.

In order to attend the event, people will have to come up donations of non-perishable food items. “We don’t want money,” he said, adding, however, if someone is at the event and sees one of the board members and wants to pull out their checkbook, no one will object.

The kinds of foods that are being sought are the following: cooking oil, canned fruit, pasta and sauces, baby food, boxed meals, soups, rice, peanut butter (brands that have not been recalled), flour, sugar, canned meat, canned vegetables, canned entrees, macaroni and cheese and dried pinto beans.

The event begins at 6 p.m. in the ballroom with Jeff Ramsey’s Crossroads Disco providing the entertainment.

Castle Furniture is sponsoring a broadcast of the inauguration on a 72-inch screen that will be located in the cafe area adjacent to the lobby.

For the convenience of those planning to go to the New Mexico Steakhouse that night, it plans to open at 5 p.m. and Rookie’s Bar will open at 4:30 p.m.

Details: Crowl, 726-8400 or 409-8753.