TALKING FROM THE ROOF. Sullivan Fire Chief Rich White, left, firefighter Cody Martin, center, and James Bartle, right, talk on KTUI Radio from the mission roof.

Students from St. Anthony Catholic School are shown helping stack food during the Rooftop Food Drive at the Meramec Community Mission.

By James B. Bartle
The annual Thanksgiving Challenge, sponsored by the Sullivan Chamber of Commerce, KTUI Radio/Fidelity Channel 6 and Sullivan Independent News, was kicked off on Friday with the 14th annual Rooftop Food Drive.
The food drive was held in the downtown bandstand as John Rice, Debbe Campbell and Bob Cosgrove entertained guests coming to drop off food and soliciting public support on KTUI/Channel 6. James Bartle was on the roof of the Meramec Community Mission, joined by Fire Chief Rich White, firefighter Cody Martin and Shirley Thurmond.
The rooftop food drive collected over $4,469 in cash donations along with some 11,500 pounds of food for the Meramec Community Mission.
The largest donations came from the Sullivan Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3987 who brought in $1,550 in food and a cash donation of $500. This was not the only veterans to contribute as the VFW Ladies Auxiliary contributed $150 and Sullivan American Legion Post brought a $300 donation. Faith Assembly of God brought in a $500 donation while the Sullivan Fire Auxiliary donated $350.
The event also received countless donations of $150, $100, $50 and $25 from many local businesses and individuals.
This year’s collections were down from the previous year, mainly in cash donations as the The Haunted Woods event, which benefits the food drive, was not held this year and brought in over $3,000 each year.
“Our cash donations were up over the previous year, excluding The Haunted Woods donations in the past,” said Debbe Campbell. “We were probably up $800 in cash donations. I think everything went very well considering the economy.”
Elizabeth Sabatino, Meramec Community Mission director, commented that she was very pleased and thankful for all the donations from this event and that it will help the mission not only during the holidays but during the long winter months.
James Bartle encouraged those to donate a $100 as he wore a 6’5” Tigger costume on the roof of the mission. For every $100 donated at the event, Bartle wore the costume an extra hour during the event.
“I’m really proud of this rooftop food drive and I know there are families that need our help, especially during the winter months,” said Bartle. “I was thinking the night before the event of a way to encourage people to donate more, and I came up with the Tigger costume idea. I felt it helped us and made it even more fun.”
The Thanksgiving Challenge will continue over the next several weeks as area schools compete to see who can collect the most food, along with several local area businesses.
If you would like more information on the Thanksgiving Challenge Food Drive, contact the Sullivan Chamber of Commerce at 573-468-3314.