Local public safety and firefighters to gather food donations

GLADSTONE — With the holiday season in full swing, organizations throughout the U.P. are getting into the giving spirit. In one Delta County community, firefighters and police are banding together to help feed the hungry this weekend.

Gladstone Public Safety officers and firefighters from both the Gladstone and Escanaba Township Volunteer Fire Departments will be conducting their annual Christmas Candy Cane Can Food Drive on Sunday evening. With fire engines decked out in Yuletide fashion and Christmas music filling the air, volunteers will tour throughout the community, collecting non-perishable food items to give to the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry.

“We pass out candy canes, and we collect food and take it to the pantry which is then distributed throughout our community,” said Gladstone Public Safety Officer Todd Crow. “Each year we collect several hundred pounds of food. Everybody looks forward to doing this, because it’s for a good cause — it’s good community relations.”

The event will begin around 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 18th, 2016. Residents are asked to leave their porch lights on so volunteers know they are home and can provide a candy cane and some holiday cheer.