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Deals, Dogs, Donations

Dr. Bruce Branum hosted a yard sale and dog wash Saturday at his clinic Hwy 72 Veterinary Service. Many came out to donate, shop, and enjoy the day. Branum described the weather as being absolutely perfect.

“I wanted to do something to pull the community together and to raise funds for the food pantry,” Branum said. “I am very concerned about children who can’t eat.”

The event allowed people to purchase spots to set up their yard sale for $10. They also had volunteers working to wash dogs for donations. The entry fee for the public was a canned food item or a donation.

“I know everyone didn’t donate, but that was okay…,” food pantry volunteer Karen Fulton said. “There was no pressure.”

She described the environment as being very welcoming.

“Casey’s helped out with donuts by giving us a discount,” Branum said.

“We hope to do this every year,” Branum said. “We’ve had a good turnout. We will evaluate later and see if we can make it an annual event.”

“This year so many people were thankful for the food pantry and these events because of the hardship caused by high utilities,” volunteer Rose Powell said. “So many of them had such high utility bills all winter and now they have to pay a high deposit to get it turned back on. It’s hard for them to get caught up.”

Branum and Fulton said Powell sat in the sun all day collecting donations at the entrance. All of the workers at the event volunteered their time.

Powell said donations for the upcoming soup and chili event were collected as well.

“Our Soup and Chili Supper event will be on Friday, at 4 p.m., at United Methodist Church,” Fulton said.

“As a community we do a lot of different things and it’s good for the public to see that we can come together and help our own,” Powell said.

“It’s about helping and anything helps,” Fulton said. “When Bruce called me and said how about we do a fundraiser for the food pantry, I said ‘That would be great.’”

Karen said the food pantry is more important than ever this year with more people struggling. It serves 350-400 families a month and is only open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m.

“The Madison County Food Pantry would like to thank Bruce Branum for putting this together,” Fulton said.

The event raised $200 and collected 105 pounds of food. For anyone who didn’t get a chance to come to the event and still wants to donate Dr. Branum will have donation cans located on his counter at Hwy 72 Veterinary Service.

The next event to raise funds for the Madison Country Food Pantry will be the Soup and Chili Supper event 4-7 p.m., Sept. 8. The cost will be $7 for adults, $5 for 5-12 year olds, and children under 5 are free. 

“Diesel” gets a bath from Brook Tonjum-Killian (left) and Beverly Blankenship to raise money for the Madison County Food Bank.

Rose Powell collected 105 pounds of food donations during the yard sale and dog wash event at West 72 Veterinary Service.

Rose Powell collected 105 pounds of food donations during the yard sale and dog wash event at West 72 Veterinary Service.

Victoria Kemper is a reporter for the Democrat News. She can be reached at 573-783-3366 or at vkemper@democratnewsonline.com.

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