Food Check Out Day Celebrated By Western PA Farm Bureaus
GAY BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
PITTSBURGH (Allegheny
Co.)-Two of the Ronald Mc-
Donald House’s storage rooms
on “Food Check Out Day,” Feb.
9, were stockpiled with about
two tons of foodstuffs, courtesy
of the 18 western county Farm
Bureaus in Pennsylvania.
Significantly, the celebration
was held on the 40th day of the
year, connoting the length of
time the average family in the
United States works to pay for
its yearly food intake.
“Food Check Out Day gives
us a chance to highlight how af
fordable food is in America,”
said Guy Donaldson, president
of the Pennsylvania Farm
Bureau.
The Pennsylvania Farm
Bureau sought participation
from the community when it
began to collect donations of
food and supplies for Ronald
McDonald Houses (RMH) lo
cated throughout the state. Be-
Denise Rohrbaugh
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sides Pittsburgh, RMH’s are
found in Philadelphia, Hershey,
Scranton and Danville. Each
was encircled by a district of
county Farm Bureaus simulta
neously celebrating the event.
“Ronald McDonald Houses
provide a ‘home away from
home’ for the families of seri
ously ill children receiving treat
ment at nearby hospitals,” said
Donaldson. “The houses depend
on local volunteers and dona
tions to operate.”
The president added further
that the Keystone State, distinc
tively, is home to the largest
rural population in the nation.
Farm Bureau members are occa
sionally among those traveling
to the city and being lodged at
an RMH because a very ill
youngster is being treated with
the latest medical technology.
“Ronald McDonald Houses
provide much appreciated,
home-like living quarters so
families can be near their chil
dren during these stressful
times,” said Donaldson.
Somerset County, alone, de
livered one ton of food and sup
plies to the Pittsburgh facility,
plus a $645 cash gift that was in
cluded in $1,295 collected in the
district.
Spokesperson Denise
Rohrbaugh, Somerset, who was
the western district contact with
Camp Hill headquarters of the
state Farm Bureau, gave a short
address when the goods were de
livered. She was accompanied to
the ceremony by Somerset Farm
Bureau directors, Phil Lehman,
Don Shipley and Fred Bouch.
Denise’s husband, Darryl
Rohrbaugh also was a co
spokesperpon. The couple took
along their eldest son, Justin.
Also attending were repre
sentatives of Beaver, Butler,
Somerset Farm Bureau officers gather at Walker’s Farm Service in Somerset
next to the van of goods and supplies collected for Ronald McDonald House in
Pittsburgh. From left, are Phil Lehman and Don Shipley, directors; Greg Walker
from Walker’s Farm Service; Kurt Walker, vice-president; Harold Shaulis, presi
dent; Fred Boucher, director; Debra Ott, newsletter editor; Darryl Rohrbaugh,
spokesperson and Phil Ott, director. Also Denise Rohrbaugh secretary and Erma
Jacobs, treasurer.
Lawrence, Cambria, and Jeffer
son County Farm Bureaus.
Mrs. Rohrbaugh was ecstatic
about the success of the local
effort in response to the letters of
invitation she sent out. It was
carpe diem for young people
who “seized the day,” and
adopted the project. They were
the student council of the Salis
bury-Elk Lick High School,
Somerset Boy Scout Troop 131,
and the Meyersdale FFA Chap
ter. Also the Country Clovers
and High Ridge 4-H Clubs
which collected foodstuffs.
The representative body at
Salisbury-Elk Lick held an all
grades homeroom content to
win a pizza party for the most
goods collected. The kids from
~e>
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 26, 2000-B5
the state’s second smallest
school district, enthusiastically,
raised 1,742 items for the Farm
Bureau and RMH. First and
11th grades were the pizza
winners.
Student council adviser, Louis
Tuscano, said that every year
student council launches a com
munity project. It was special
this time; however, spawned
from the outpouring of help in
1998 when tornadoes devastated
their community. It was a
golden opportunity to pass to
others the help that they, them
selves, had received.
The scouts raised cash dona
tions and collected food at two
Giant Eagle Markets, County
Market and BiLo Market in
Somerset. The scouts at each
station were joined by a Farm
Bureau director.
The Meyersdale FFA, did a
local project in support of Food
Check Out Day. FFA officers on
Feb. 9, went to the Meyersdale
Shop ’N Save and paid the gro
cery bill for three very surprised
and randomly selected shop
pers. The chapter spent about
$2OO.
“The object is to let them
know their food is a bargain,”
explained adviser, Jim Stutz
man.
Shopper Norma Meyers said
at first she wondered why so
many youths in requisite blue,
corduroy jackets were standing
near the store check out lanes, as
if expecting something to
happen.
“I am surprised and thank
ful,” she said, happily.
Even better, it worked out
that state FFA officers-presi
dent Elio Chiarelli, Jr. and
treasurer Adam
Longenecker-were in town visit
ing the Meycrsdale Chapter. So
the young men with their hosts,
participated in Food Check Out
Day.
The other shoppers whose
groceries were paid by the FFA
were Lewis A. Zook and Ted
and Joann Minnick, who all
have Meyersdale addresses.
“They all did a fantastic job,”
said Denise Rohrbaugh, elated.
She highly commended the
young adults for generating high
interest in Somerset County’s
second annual Food Check Out
Day and RMH Pittsburgh,
which serves 800 families each
year.
Walker’s Farm Service, Som
erset, provided space for all the
donations until they were deliv
ered on Feb. 9 to RMH Snyder
of Berlin, an agri-link business,
donated some 10 boxes filled
with the snack food varieties it
produces.
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