Whip out your calendars! I’ve already started planning Vacation Donations’ 2024 food drives, and the Grinch isn’t going to get in my way! Actually the Grinch pictured here, at the IRB annual street parade, was a lovely one, as I’m sure all my food-drive helpers will be. I’ve timed the drives to the last Saturdays in February and March (Feb. 24, and March 30 in 2024), for two reasons. One, monthly rentals often leave on the last Saturday, especially this coming March, which is the 30th. And many vacation rentals in general still turn over on Saturdays. Secondly, the Lifeline Ministries at St. Jerome’s, just over the bridge from Indian Rocks Beach, is open the last Saturday of each month *and* takes unopened perishables as well as nonperishables. If the IRB Beach Community Pantry opens for us on a Saturday (they’ve been invited!), we can certainly donate food there as well, but they take only nonperishables.
I’m looking to have donation drop-off points in as many spots as possible throughout Indian Rocks Beach. If you, your condo building, business or organization would like to sign up to be a drop-off point, bless you! Here’s what you’d need to do: 1) Spread the word 2) Be willing to be on a list of drop-off points, with specific address or street corner in close proximity to vacation rentals 3) Display a sign I’ll give you that designates you as a drop-off point 4) Provide a person, a cooler with ice, some donation bags/boxes and some bags/boxes from 9 to 11.30 a.m. 5) Be willing and able to drive the donations to St. Jerome’s, 10895 Hamlin Blvd., Largo, no later than noon. (We’ll try to do some group pickups in IRB but it’s not guaranteed.) 6) Keep spreading the word!
I really hope you’ll join the Vacation Donations Citywide Food Drive! If you’re interested, contact me, Diane Daniel, at [email protected] or 727-201-2333. Talk soon! Thank you!