Giving on wheels

MONROE, Wash., September 2, 2020 – Snohomish County Parks announced today the total impact of their one-day Food Drive event last Thursday, August 27, held at the Evergreen State Fair Park. A whopping 6,309 pounds of food and $4,275 of donations were collected which will benefit Volunteers of America Western WA and the Snohomish County Food Bank Coalition. On what would have been the first day of the annual 12-day fair, the community came out in droves to support their neighbors, decorate their cars as floats, and even to indulge in some fair scones.

It has been a long-standing tradition on opening day of the Evergreen State Fair for staff to hold a food drive benefiting local area food banks. Even though the Fair was canceled back in May due to COVID-19, the need for donations has never been greater. This special drive-thru event was a creative way for fair staff to honor their dedication to giving back while maintaining COVID-19 protocols. The timing is crucial, with many in need of food this year due to the pandemic. According to Northwest Harvest, 2.2 million individuals in Washington may be food-insecure during the peak of the pandemic with the greatest need from August to December. Volunteers of America calculates that a donation of 1.2 pounds of food or $1.72 are each equal to one meal. This means the impact of the food drive is 7,743 meals going to Snohomish County residents in need. The Fair Park is a resource for the community in times of celebration and in times of need.

This event was made possible from the dedication, hard work and selflessness of many fair staff, volunteers and partner organizations who donated time, advertising, energy and money. “We miss the Fair this year, but our community really stepped up to continue their involvement by donating to local food banks,” said Snohomish County District 2 Councilmember Megan Dunn, who volunteered at the event. “There was a constant line of people excited to donate and to be at the Fairgrounds again. Volunteering at the food drive gave me the same feeling of excitement just to be around a community that cares so much.” People also came to get a taste of the fair with food vendors Pompeii Pizza, Pioneer Popcorn and Conifer Foods baking fresh Fisher Scones (which all sold out).

The fun continued with the car decorating contest. Families put time and creativity into transforming their cars into everything from a giant dog, to the first place winner - the Greenhorns who dressed up an entire trailer with their red, white and blue theme “CoroNO Fair is Not Fair!” complete with kids, pigs, a goat, music and plenty of food donations. The second-place winner decorated their car with all their past fair ribbons and great memories. Third place celebrated the 2020 theme of “Wonder and Wander the Evergreen” by bringing llamas and cats in her van decorated as the “Llama Llady.”