To the editor:

Branch 104, National Association of Letter Carriers, thanks fellow employees and management for their support and assistance in the recent food drive. Our T-shirt sales generated $400 for ECKAN and their companion pantries to purchase bulk foods at less than 20 cents a pound through Harvesters and local produce through a program with Lawrence Farmers Market. Also, thanks to Blue Collar Press for their help with the shirt sales. We received tremendous promotion for the drive from local radio, television and newspaper and we appreciate their annual support.

But mostly we want to thank the citizens of Lawrence and surrounding areas for their generous donation of food to make the food drive so worthwhile, rewarding, and successful. While difficult to weigh, we estimate over ten tons of food, 20,000 pounds, was donated to Lawrence food pantries on May 12.

The beauty of this is in the efficiency, simplicity and low overhead connected to the drive. Imagine, nationwide, food is donated from the hands of those that have, picked up by city and rural carriers, delivered into the helpful hands of volunteers from food pantries, and finally into the hands of those most in need. All in one day, but what a day!

Ace Hickey,

Lawrence