Veterans team up to fight hunger

By Darryl Swan

The South County Spotlight, Jun 24, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Darryl Swan / The South County Spotlight

FOOD BRIGADE — Ron Urban (left) and Frank Weber of Scappoose unload food donated by Grocery Outlet into a Columbia Pacific Food Bank receptacle.

Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4362 in Scappoose are certainly not the type to back down from a challenge. So when the economy started taking its shots at the local populace, the VFW members decided it was time to do something.

But they also admit they can’t fight the good fight all alone, and are asking others for help.

“We’re hoping that people in the community will understand that it’s a pretty needy time right now,” said Scappoose resident and VFW member, Frank Weber. Especially, he notes, as the lean summer months approach.

The veterans teamed up with Grocery Outlet, located at 52115 Columbia River Highway in Scappoose, to donate $2,000 worth of food to the St. Vincent De Paul Society in Scappoose.

Weber said they were able to stretch the dollars by tapping Grocery Outlet’s discount food prices. Grocery Outlet sees around 600 customers per day. One donation from each,

Weber and others point out, would go a long way toward reducing local hunger.

Brandon Riahi, who owns the discount Grocery Outlet with his wife, Sam, pledged further donations to the food bank.

“I think the biggest thing is that we need to reach out, and we’re trying to get other people in the community to help out,” he said.

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