Wheatland Electric will host this year’s Cram the Van food drive at September’s Final Friday on Forest from 5-9 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Great Bend Alive Plaza (Forest Avenue between Main Street and Williams Street). The public is invited to attend and help support the Community Food Bank of Barton County with a cash or can donation.
Wheatland headed into 2022 with a renewed commitment to the communities it serves. “Think BIG!” is this year’s motto – Big Energy, Big Support, Big Community, Big Ideas. Wheatland is hoping to make this year’s Cram the Van its biggest, brightest and best year yet.
This month’s venue will feature the newly painted Art Alley, which is the alley between the 2000 block of Forest and Lakin Avenues. It was designed by local artist Melanie Ryan and painted by community volunteers.
September’s Final Friday activities include live music, food, drinks, and a livestream of the Great Bend High School varsity football game with Dodge City. Attendees are encouraged to bring a cash or can donation to Cram the Van, play the 50/50 raffle, register for prizes and join the fun. All proceeds will benefit the Community Food Bank of Barton County.
On-site donors will also be able to enter to win a Samsung Smart Projector Freestyle valued at $700. A winner will be drawn at the end of the Cram the Van season.
Monetary donations can also be made online at https://www.weci.net/cram-van-food-drive, and all online donors will be entered for a chance to win a nugget ice maker for every $10 donated (value: $630). Donors can specify the agency or food pantry they wish to donate to when making their online donation.
Donations will also be accepted during the months of September and October at all of Wheatland’s local offices. For a full list, visit https://www.weci.net/our-offices.
About Cram the Van
Every fall since 2014, Wheatland Electric has hosted community gatherings, school competitions and other events to collect donations for local food banks across their service territory.
The annual food drive is coined “Cram the Van” thanks to the signature fleet vehicle, a red, extended passenger van used to collect and deliver donations.
Over the past eight years, and thanks to the generosity of the communities it serves, Wheatland has been able to facilitate the collection of more than 86 tons (172,309 pounds) of food for local food banks across southwest and south-central Kansas.
All contributions are always delivered to the community food bank where the donations are made. For more information, visit . https://www.weci.net/cram-van-food-drive
