When you picture someone who has served the poor of our
community for over a decade, who counsels and befriends the homeless, who makes sure those
in need have a box full of groceries year-round and presents for their children at
Christmas, you might think of someone soft-spoken, mild-mannered.
Margie Hammersley of the T.E.A.M. Community Pantry located on
Main Street in Old Town Temecula, is the person described above; but when it comes to
helping the poor, she is more like a bulldog than a quiet saint. What has her riled up now
are donations gathered in our valley that are shipped out to Riverside or points beyond.
While town growth has brought in corporate and large store
drives, ironically, those drives often serve larger communities. Meanwhile, that same
growth has brought the community pantry increased referrals from government welfare
services, local churches, the California Highway Patrol and local police and fire
departments. Hammersley said she finds the pantry increasingly in competition for canned
foods and donations with groups that don’t serve our local population or serve for
specialized occasions like the holidays, rather than the year-round service of the pantry.
Iris Hooper of JoAnn Etc. of Temecula noticed the same
problem in the charity work her store participated in. “In this community, we
don’t mind giving,” Hooper said. “What really gets me is when the donations
we give go right out to Riverside. I don’t see the point in helping someone else when
my home still isn’t fixed. We need to take care of home first.” When JoAnn Etc.
decided to do something for the community, a main motivation for coordinator Hooper was to
make sure everything stayed right here. What Hooper has organized is a canned food drive
to benefit the Community Pantry that she hopes will set a world record.
“It’s called Peace Mountain,” Hooper said of
the cans being collected at a myriad of sites around the community. On Saturday, November
11, from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., the drive will conclude at JoAnn’s Temecula
location in a pyramid of canned goods that will hopefully top 9000 cans. If it does it
will be certified by the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest mountain of food.
“Van Avery Prep School already has 2200 cans collected,” Hooper said.
Besides, Van Avery, Hooper has organized many corporate
partners as drop-off sites. With most of the food the pantry distributes year-round,
collected during the holiday season, this drive will go a long way to supporting our local
needs. --------------------- If you would like to be a part of this event, look for carts
or bins at Ralph’s Markets, California Bank and Trust, the Temecula Chamber of
Commerce, Community National Bank, Beds “N” Threads, KATY radio, Timmy D
Productions, Office Depot, ADA-VIS Global Insurance, LDA Temeku Insurance, Office Depot,
Neighbors newspaper, California T’s, or Sally’s Beauty Supply.
The M.O.M.S. club is going door to door to add to the
collection. The T.E.A.M. Community Pantry is open to serve and collect donations of canned
goods, fresh produce, and clothing, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, or by
appointment, at 41910 Main Street, Temecula. You can reach them by calling 676-8022.