In 2013, Orion Neighborhood Television (ONTV) food drive raised 8,000 pounds of nonperishable items for Orion/Oxford FISH Food Pantry, with the same goal, and even better, for this year.
The Fourth Annual Food Drive is Saturday, February 8 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the ONTV studio in the Orion Center at 1349 Joslyn Rd.
ONTV will host a live segment in a variety show format on all three of Orion’s community access channels. Orion area viewers can tune to Comcast channels 10, 20, or 22, or AT&T’s Uverse Channel 99. Viewers outside of the Orion area can log onto www.orionONTV.org to watch it streamed live.
‘The telethon fills this period of time very nicely because our last food drive was in November, and our next one isn’t until May, so that’s a really long stretch,? John Jarvis said, President of the Oxford Orion FISH board. ‘This one in February gives us a real shot in the arm to fill that big gap. We give away about 13,000 pounds a month on average, so it takes quite a bit to keep that going,? he said.
New for this year’s telethon is a contest promoted by local businesses.
Anyone who drops off five or more items in the week preluding the telethon will be entered to win one of the door prizes donated by local businesses. D3 Basketball donated one-on-one with a coach, Golling donated an oil change, and Jet’s Pizza threw in a food package, just to name a few. Door prizes can be viewed at the ONTV studio.
FISH is requesting canned tomatoes, tuna, fruit and meat; syrup, flour, sugar, powdered milk; chicken and beef gravy; chunky soup; dish soap and shampoo.
The telethon will consist of local programs produced on ONTV, with featured local entertainers and volunteers hosting the live studio.
The telecast will include performances by Broadway Dance Studio, The Magic Man, Ms. Carissa, Chautauqua Express, and a piano recital by Allegro Music Studio students for everyone who donates five food items or five dollars.
Cash donations will be accepted via the PayPal account on the ONTV website. Pantry donations will be accepted at the Paint Creek Country Club, Skalnek Ford, Golling Buick GMC, Hollywood Market, Orion Township Hall, Orion Township Library, and the Lake Orion Village Offices until February 8.
‘February is the time of year when the shelves are the emptiest at the FISH pantry, and we thought ONTV, being the community’s television station, could help out this great organization,? Ian Locke said, Executive Director at ONTV.
Any further information about Oxford Orion FISH go to www.oxfordorionfish.com.
The food drive helps individuals and families of Oxford, Lake Orion, Addison and Oakland Township.