Food drive organizers looking for more volunteers tonight

The first night of the Everybody Loves Firefighters food drive was a difficult but successful night, an organizer said today, adding that he hopes more volunteers can help tonight.

Havre Food Bank manager Don Bleak said only seven volunteers joined him and Havre firefighters Tuesday night to collect nonperishable food for the food bank and the Salvation Army. They collected about 3,000 pounds, he said, as much as both nights during the drive a couple years ago and three times as much as last year.

Bleak said he hopes more volunteers join the group tonight, to cover the west side of Havre and get a part missed Tuesday night on the east side because of a shortage of volunteers. The group couldn't get to a three-block section it had planned to cover Tuesday night, he said.

Volunteers go door-to-door to gather food during the drive, accompanied by firefighters and emergency vehicles with flashing lights to call attention to the effort.

Bleak said people who want to volunteer tonight should gather at the Fire Department by 5:30 to be divided into groups.

People whose houses are missed or who won't be at home tonight can drop donations off at the Fire Department, leaving it stacked at the door if the door is locked, Bleak said.