Cruise-in to benefit food pantry, after storm-related food spoilage

Colon Food Pantry had a rough time in August, as did most of the village.

Storms that blew through the area Aug. 11-12 caused havoc in Colon, as trees and branches tangled with power lines, causing an extended power outage.

The food pantry team of Leana Fitch, Pat Kocher, Neal and Judy Schwachtgen couldn’t save five freezers-full of meat or butter and eggs in the refrigerator. All of it was lost.

When Ron Cerny heard about the situation, he decided to help by doing something he embraces — hosting “Jason Wagner Memorial Cruise-In” to benefit the pantry.

It is set for 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 25 in downtown Colon. Proceeds go to the food pantry, which serves about 90 people per month.

The food pantry team retold stories of the storm and clean-up, showing their dedication to the community. The food pantry could not obtain a garbage unit until a week after the storm, to dispose of the spoiled meat, butter and eggs. And it was a mess. Anyone coming too close to the dumpster got a whiff, as pantry workers were unloading the meat and cleaning the freezers. Cerny was among them.