IGH Days Parade Food Drive Expected to Reach Major Milestone on Saturday

25,000 pounds. That’s the total amount of donated food, school and household supplies we expect to reach at this Saturday’s Inver Grove Heights Days Parade.

I am just amazed at that figure.

When we started the Parade Food Drive in 1997, we hoped to collect 25 pounds or maybe 250 pounds of donations. The staggering 25,000-pound figure we expect to hit on Saturday was beyond my wildest dreams back when we launched this very unusual food drive 16 years ago, and is a true testament to the generosity of our community and to the efforts of the hard-working volunteers who have helped out with the food drive over the years. 

For those unfamiliar with the IGH Days Parade Food Drive, here’s a quick snapshot of how it works. With grocery carts lent to us by Cub Foods, our team of volunteers marches in the parade, collecting donations from parade-goers along the way. 

At the end of the parade, the donations are transported by Bester Bros. Moving Company to Neighbors, Inc., our local food shelf. All of the donations go to help local families in need.

The idea for this unique food drive actually arose at the Kaposia Days Parade in South St. Paul in June 1997. Just prior to the parade, I met with then-director Harv Bartz of Neighbors, our local food shelf, who said late summer was when our food shelf reached its very lowest point. 

Harv was looking for ways to address that problem. 

That evening I happened to attend the Kaposia Days parade, watching from my cousin’s front lawn on 5^th Avenue. As each of the politicians came by, my cousins would comment on what a “waste of space” they were in the parade.  The food shelf’s dire need, together with my hope to be something other than a “waste of space” in the upcoming IGH Days Parade, gave rise to the idea for the IGH Days Parade Food Drive, now in its 16^th year.

The idea was a lot easier to come up with that first year than volunteers.  Most thought I’d lost my mind when I suggested my odd approach for a food drive.  I still remember the grocery store manager’s incredulous look back then when I described why I needed to borrow grocery carts. 

Fortunately, the members of the IGH City Council, along with my kids and their friends, and groups like Simley's varsity soccer teams and National Honor Society, have stepped up over the years to make the food drive the success it is.    

Special recognition goes out to Mayor George Tourville, who has helped with the Parade Food Drive since the first year, and to Tom Atkins and Dillon Kaup, who have helped with every food drive until this year. Tom and Dillon have a good excuse for missing this year's event, though—both headed off to college this fall.

My heartfelt appreciation goes out to every one of our volunteers as well as to all of our donors over the years. With your help, we are poised to reach the 25,000-pound milestone on Saturday.  

That's a lot of help for families in need in our community.