Wheatland Electric will host a grand opening in conjunction with its annual Cram the Van food drive at the new Great Bend facility on Monday, Oct. 25. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
The program begins at 4:30 p.m. and will run until 7 p.m. at the new Wheatland Electric location, 200 10th St. A public ribbon cutting will be held at 5:30 p.m. with a cake ceremony to follow indoors.
During the evening program, attendees will be able to tour the 30,000-square foot facility, which broke ground last fall and opened to the public on Aug. 18.
The new building features a customer-service lobby with a drive-up window, a warehouse facility and truck barn, and an outdoor green space with working fossil-free energy sources.
Public tours of both the indoors and outdoors will occur between 5 and 7 p.m.
Attendees are also encouraged to bring a cash or can donation to Cram the Van and enjoy a hamburger or hot dog meal with chips, cookie, and a drink in exchange for their generosity. All donations will benefit the Community Food Bank of Barton County.
This year’s Cram the Van motto is “Yes WE Can!” signifying Wheatland’s renewed commitment to supporting local food banks across their southwest and south-central service territory. They’re hopeful 2021 will be another record-breaking year.
Additionally, Wheatland will have its new electric vehicle on hand during the grand opening for viewing and test-driving. The 2021 Hyundai Kona features a 250+ mile range on a single charge and runs entirely on electricity. Members will be able to take the vehicle for a short ride around town and will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.
For members unable to attend, cash and can donations are being accepted at the new Great Bend office through the end of October, and monetary donations can also be made online at https://www.weci.net/cram-van-food-drive. As a special thanks, all online donors will be entered for a chance to win a Traeger Tailgater Grill (value: $500) for each $10 donation made online.
Donors are able to specify the agency or food pantry they wish to donate to when making their online donation. For questions, contact Wheatland Electric at 620-793-4223 or memberservices@weci.net.
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 seven years, and thanks to the generosity of the communities it serves, Wheatland has been able to facilitate the collection of more than 63 tons (127,733 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.
