Brandon Twp.- The identity of an anonymous benefactor to the Ortonville Community Emergency Fund has been revealed.
The OCEF Board announced this week it has renamed it’s annual matching fund drive the ‘Roger Duval Sharin? O? the Green.?
‘He was very kind and had the idea for the match during the winter doldrums for donations,? said OCEF Treasurer Margaret Lee. ‘It was his idea to be a match game and it has been very successful and has helped us get through the thin times. It’s a good thing to honor his memory.?
Duval began the ‘Sharin? O the Green? in 2009, offering to match community donations to OCEF by up to $2,000. The annual drive to raise funds for the food pantry was timed to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day, when donations are typically down.
Following his death in June 2013, OCEF learned he had bequeathed money to the non-profit organization to continue ‘Sharin? O? the Green.?
Donors can find jars decorated with shamrocks and marked ‘Sharin? O? the Green? beginning March 1 at businesses around town including The Citizen newspaper office, 12 South St.; Clarkston Brandon Community Credit Union, 4 South St.; Papa Bella’s Pizza, 425 Mill St., Ken’s Coney Island, 100 S. Ortonville Road, and Bueche’s Food World, 400 Ortonville Road. In addition, Bueche’s has a box for non-perishable food donations. Food items needed for the upcoming Easter distribution include canned fruit; canned green beans, corn, potatoes/yams and other vegetables; canned soup; macaroni and cheese; Jell-O/pudding; cake mix; bread/muffin mix; frosting; candy; and egg dye. Gift cards to Bueche’s for the purchase of meat and fresh produce are also appreciated.
Checks can also be made payable to OCEF, and mailed to PO Box 282, Ortonville MI 48462. Put ‘Sharin? O? the Green? in the memo line. Donations can also be made via Paypal account at www.oceffoodpantry.org.
OCEF has a client base of 187 families and currently assists 120-135 families per month with food. Each family can visit once a month and pick up a week’s worth of groceries, about seven bags of food for the average-sized family.
‘We’re doing pretty well, the numbers have leveled off,? said Lee. ‘Sharin? O? the Green? helps get us through until the Easter distribution.?

For the fourth year in a row, an anonymous donor has challenged the community to participate in ‘Sharin? o? the green,? offering to match donations to the Ortonville Community Emergency Fund food pantry. But this year, instead of matching donations up to $2,000, the donor has upped the ante to $3,000.
Under ‘Sharin? o? the Green,? if a member of the community makes, for example, a $25 donation to OCEF, the anonymous donor will match it with another $25 donation of their own. The fundraiser received its name because of its proximity to St. Patrick’s Day. Donations eligible to be matched will be accepted through the end of March. The benefactor will match up to $3,000 in total donations.
Cash donations for OCEF can be placed in jars marked with shamrocks at local businesses including Brandon Tire, Bueche’s Food World, The Citizen, Clarkston Brandon Community Credit Union, First Impressions, Ken’s Coney and Papa Bella’s. Checks made payable to OCEF may be sent to OCEF, P.O. Box 282, Ortonville, MI 48462. For details call St. Anne Catholic Church at 248-627-3965.