The challenge was made, and the community, with its usual generosity and caring, responded. As of the end of October, the Feeding Fredonia Challenge received 4,600 pounds of food collected for the Fredonia Food Pantry.

Over the last year, the Food Pantry has served over 300 people, many of them as regular customers. The Fredonia Central School District reports that more than 40 percent of the children qualify for free or reduced price lunches. The need is real and we, the members of Fredonia Presbyterian Church who run the Food Pantry, are very grateful that the village did not ignore those in need

So many people, businesses and organizations were responsible for making this effort a success. Mayor Athanasia Landis and the Fredonia village trustees laid the foundation for the effort through their support and endorsement. The OBSERVER provided kept the public informed about the progress of the Challenge each step of the way. WDOE graciously gave the Challenge air time and so helped spread the word about the effort.

The Fredonia Central School District was the backbone of the food collection gathering over 2,100 pounds of food. Many thanks to Superintendent Paul DiFonzo for his support and for the hard work of Jenn Maslakowski of the Middle School for coordinating the effort. And we must not forget the children who brought in the food! Fredonia SUNY also provided vital assistance.

In addition to the food collected on campus, the Alpha Phi Omega and Kappa Sigma student service organizations helped move the food collected from the Central School and from Fredonia (SUNY) onto the truck. Their hard work, cooperation and good humor were so welcome on collection day.

Then there were the businesses, offices and individuals who were each a vital building block to our success as they publicized the event and acted as drop off sites. The following were all involved in making the challenge happen: Allstate Insurance, B&S Discount Tire, Bahgat & Laurito-Bahgat, Barbara Ann’s Hair Salon, Basil Chevrolet Buick Cadillac, Dr. Bell Chiropractic, Bella Bronze Tanning, , The Cakery, Campus & Community Children’s Center, Chautauqua Brick, Comerford Collision, Concord Pharmacy, Cool Little Music Shop, Rose Crino CPA PC, Culligan Water, The Cutting Crew, Darwin R. Barker Library, DFT Communications, Drayo Law Office, Eades & Militello P.C., EBC West, The East End Salon, Facial Expressions.

Daniel Faltisco DDS, Family Orthodontics, Fredonia Animal Hospital, Fredonia Fire Department, Fredonia Food Mart, Fredonia Opera House, Fredonia Place, Fredonia Police, Fredonia Post Office, Fredonia Pro Hardware, Fredonia Vapor Co., Fredonia Vapor Co., Fredonia Village Hall, Fred’s, Fresh and Fancy Flowers, Gentleman Jack’s East Main Liquor, Herbs for Life, Henry’s Hair Co., Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, In the Pink, Inner Lakes FCU, Jamestown Mattress, Jim’s Cleaners, John P. Gullo Law Office, Karen’s Hairem, Lake Shore Savings – Fredonia Branch.

Lena’s Pizza, Dr. Annette Lukasik and Dr. Tiffany Stuart Dental Office, Mayville Tremaine Insurance, Marrices, Medusa’s, Michael J. Sullivan, Midtown Realty Co., Moonstruck, M&T Bank, Nationwide Insurance, NYC Hair & Color, One Main Financial, The Paper Factory, Patton’s Lighting Center, Pomfret Town Office, Pucci’s Carpet One Furniture & Bedding, Sir Prints A Lot, Simply Skin Spa, Soapy Paws, Salon Belle Vie, The Sewer’s Choice, Tuscany’s Fresh Meat & Deli, Upper Crust Bakery & Soup Co., Vacanti’s Hair & Nail Salon, Valone Ford Lincoln, Valu Home Center, Visions of Elegance Hair Salon, and other generous people who just dropped off donations without identifying themselves.

Finally, we must thank the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry for its support. Without the Rural Ministry, the Feeding Fredonia Challenge could not happen. They provided the truck to transport the food, they store the food and they organize the food for its distribution at the Food Pantry.

It has been exciting to see the community come together once again to help their neighbors. As a church, we are grateful to be serving in such a caring community. In a time when life is not easy for so many, it is good to know that by coming together we of the village of Fredonia can make a concrete difference.

The Rev. Cynthia Wickwire Lundquist is a Fredonia resident and pastor of the Fredonia Presbyterian Church.