PINCONNING — Zola Groh turns 80 years old tomorrow and has a special birthday wish: To raise $10,000 this month for the Pinconning Area Emergency Food Pantry.

That’s because an anonymous northern Bay County resident has agreed to match any monetary or food donations made to the pantry this month, up to $10,000.

“Ten-thousand dollars seems like a lot,” said Groh, who has volunteered with the food pantry for almost 30 years. “But I think we can do it.”

The food pantry’s total budget usually runs about $10,000 a year, plus grants, according to Barbara Rajewski, chairwoman of the Pinconning Area Emergency Food Pantry Board.

Groh said need in the community is growing because of the poor economy. Bay County’s unemployment rate is running about 14 percent.

The unusual matching-donation offer would give the program a big shot in the arm to help the needy in the Pinconning area, according to Cookie Bumgarner, Groh’s daughter and food pantry treasurer.

“We’ve never had anything like this before,” Bumgarner said. “We would definitely fill the shelves.”

The Pinconning Area Emergency Food Pantry has been approached by an anonymous donor offering to contribute $10,000 to the pantry if they can match the donation through a community fundraiser.The pantry provides more than food, said Bumgarner, a 56-year-old preschool teacher in Pinconning. Some funds are used within the community to help people with rent, utilities and other services.

Bumgarner said this year she has written $3,000 to $5,000 in checks, benefiting about 25 families a month.

“This opportunity to get extra funds is definitely going to fill the gaps for renting assistance, utilities, prescriptions, anything,” Rajewski said.

Rajewski said she believes the donor wants to remain anonymous so the focus is on the food pantry and not the benefactor.

Groh, who plans to retire from the food pantry in the next two years, said volunteers have sent out flyers about the drive to local businesses and schools that have helped the food pantry in the past.

Tina Bauer, Pinconning Area Schools district coordinator, said she just found out about the drive, but believes the schools will do something to help the food pantry raise money.

“We’re big sponsors of the food pantries because a lot of our students’ families use the food pantry,” she said. “We’ve done lots of coin drives for them in the past.

“They’re a great service in this community and northern Bay County.”

The food pantry is located at the Pinconning United Methodist Church, 314 Whyte.

Monetary donations should be sent to Pinconning Area Emergency Food Pantry, P.O. Box 893, Pinconning, MI 48650. To donate food, toiletries, or for more information, call Rajewski at (989) 879-4428.

Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2010/04/anonymous_donor_to_...