Saturday Briefing

By Kathy Sylvester

Each year, Denver television station 9News hosts a food drive, for individuals in need called 9Cares Colorado Shares. This year, Outrigger’s Central Reservations in Denver participated in the 9Cares Colorado Shares Corporate Challenge. In the Corporate Challenge, businesses are divided into three groups depending on the size of the business and the number of employees. The participating businesses then have a friendly

Marion Beverly, Kathy Sylvester, and Bill Peters

competition to donate the highest number of food items based on weight and cash contributions. Outrigger Central Reservations competed in the small business category, which included a variety of industries from day care centers to landscaping companies.

The Outrigger Central Reservation’s ‘ohana stepped up to the challenge and contributed food items by the Wednesday, November 12, deadline. After collecting all the items, Bill Peters, Marion Beverly, and I took the donations to the collections site at COMPA Food Bank Ministry. When we arrived to drop off our donations, we were greeted by a number of friendly people and a fun and light-hearted atmosphere.

Food bank helpers loaded our food donations onto a pallet and then took the pallet into the warehouse

Marion Beverly, Mary from COMPA, Alycia Gleave from 9News, and Kathy Sylvester

where it was weighed. Our donations totaled 340 pounds—not a bad number at all! A few days after the deadline, 9News announced the winners in each of the Corporate Challenge categories and the total amount of donations received. Altogether, businesses contributed 35,415 pounds of food and $9,647.85 in cash! Although Outrigger did not come in first place in the small business category, the real winners of the program are those individuals in need that will receive the benefit of the donations through COMPA.

The Outrigger Central Reservations ‘ohana enjoyed participating in the program, and we look forward to next year’s food drive!