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Oregon Food Bank’s 25th Waterfront Blues Festival is a Hit

The Safeway crew poses together! Mona Person, Ron Person, Syd Hanigan, a board member, and Cheryl and Bob Helleman helped contribute to the success of the 25th Annual Waterfront Festival

Portland, July 8th. Waterfront Blues Festival organizers are celebrating 25 years of musical fundraising to the tune of more than 7 million dollars since 1987. Supporters from Safewayincluded Mona Person, Ron Person, Syd Hanigan, a board member, and Cheryl and Bob Helleman. According to Oregon Food Bank officials, this year alone, supporters donated over $902,000 to feed hungry people in our area. “We set a gigantic goal this year and came within inches of meeting it,” said Laura Golino de Lovato, OFB’s director of development. “We’re pleased with the results and thank the entire community for generously supporting the work of Oregon Food Bank.”

Syd Hanigan enjoys the sponsor’s tent with the main organizer of the event, Laura Golino de Lovato. Laura is the Director of Development for the Oregon Food Bank.

Annie Herbet, Director of Communications, and Jean Kempe-Ware, Public Relations Manager, smile together near the entrance of the event where 116,584 pounds of food was collected.

Lucinda Tate, who is on the Oregon Food Bank Board of Directors, Jim Wadsworth, and Janeen Wadsworth, the CEO/Chief Operating Officer smile and enjoy the omelets in the Sponsor’s Tent.

2,300 enthusiastic volunteers and generous blues fans helped make the 2012 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, presented by First Tech Credit Union, a rousing success. Festival attendees contributed $902,000 through donations at the gate as well as advance purchases of special passes and DME blues cruise tickets, just shy of the festival’s goal of $945,000. In addition, the festival raised an estimated 116,504 pounds of food, exceeding its goal of 100,000 pounds.

This view from inside the sponsor’s tent shows many of the generous donors who help make this event successful. These special guest also enjoyed a deluxe omelet bar for brunch!

Charles and Caryl Fuchs, smile with Kyle and Charlie Fuchs in the sponsor’s tent. Big time donors Charlie and Kyle brought Charlie’s parents to enjoy the event.

Gary Houston gets together with Jean Kempe-Ware for a picture. Gary has been designing the art work for the event since 2001.

Andy Andrews and Mike Specht from Columbia Distributing

Guests enjoyed four different stages. The Steve Miller Band was one of the headliners.

Jersey Soul featuring Judy Tint and Kenny Lavitz took the Miller Stage on Sunday Afternoon.

Guests of all ages moved to the music!

Boaters enjoy front row seats.

From the Oregon Food Bank:

Our mission: To eliminate hunger and its root causes … because no one should be hungry.
Since 1982, Oregon Food Bank has been leading the fight against hunger in Oregon and southwest Washington by collecting and distributing food through a network of four OFB branches and 16 independent regional food banks.
The OFB Network helps nearly one in five households fend off hunger. OFB also leads statewide efforts to increase resources for hungry families and to eliminate the root causes of hunger through advocacy, nutrition education, garden education and helping communities strengthen local food systems.

Did you know …

For the first time ever, the Oregon Food Bank Network distributed more than 1 million food boxes to families in need – a 12% increase over last year.
Growing levels of long-term unemployment are forcing more and more people to fall into poverty and to seek emergency food.
33% of those receiving emergency food are children.
Children who are hungry get sick more often and have more trouble learning in school.

Story By: Genevieve Reaume

GenevieveReaume