Volume VI, No. 4 | February 2025 |
| THE WALK & KNOCKER | A quarterly newsletter for the Walk & Knock Family |
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Drive Day’s Almost Here!
| Saturday, Dec. 7th. Just 19 days away. Your Board has been working since September to get everything ready. Sponsors, trucks, boxes and totes, drive-day materials, new yard signs, 206,000 bags to be mailed and the all-important porta-potties. |
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Volunteers – Please!
| The one thing we’re in need of is volunteers to pick up all those bags. Over the years, our volunteer numbers have dropped from 4,000 to just over 2,000 last year. While we can cover most areas, we’re spread pretty thin. Door knocking and good porch checking suffers. So puleeeze – recruit your neighbors, work buddies, folks from church, school or social clubs. It’s only a few hours on a Saturday morning and means so much to so many. Sign up at walkandknock.org/volunteer/sign-up-to-volunteer |
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The Big 4-0!
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Hard to believe, but the brainchild of Lions Bud Pasmore and Bill Terrell and others in the mid 1980s has become the nation’s largest, local, one-day food drive. Through the years -– good times, recessions, amazing growth and a deadly pandemic – W&K has never missed a year, always persevered.
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Over 39 years, we’ve collected more than 9.51 million pounds of food valued at $17.3 million providing 11.4 million meals for the needy here in Clark County. Last year, rebounding from COVID, we collected 271,095 pounds of non-perishable food and $20,000. We should all be very proud. |
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Proclaiming Our Good Work
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The City of Vancouver recently approved a proclamation citing our good works over the years and proclaiming the first Saturday of December each year to be honored as Interservice Walk & Knock Day and encourages the community to support Walk & Knock with donations, money and volunteers. Other proclamations are pending in Camas, Battle Ground and Ridgefield. | |
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Fun Facts --
| - · In 1985, Clark County was home to 205,606 people. Today, we’ve grown to 525,563 – an increase of 155%.
- · Our first drive netted 84,000 pounds. By 1997, we reached 300,000 pounds for the first time.
- Our best year was 2010 with 335,340 pounds, followed by 2009 at 323,660 pounds and 2002 with 310,000 pounds. Notice they were all recession years.
- · Every 1.2 pounds of food collected equals one meal, according to the Food Bank. So last year we collected enough to provide 325,314 meals. Add in the $20,000 collected and we’re up to 405,314 meals!
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Website --
| Most everything you might want to know is on our website: Walkandknock.org |
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Your 2024-2025 Board of Directors | President – Justin Wood First VP – Janet Elliott Second VP – Becky Writt Third VP – Barbara Yasson Treasurer – Steve Staudinger Secretary – Tammy Mackey Past President – Tom Knappenberger Trustee – Joe Pauletto Trustee – Jeff Fish Trustee – Bill Lundin Trustee -- Kavita Ros Trustee – Reese Carpenter Also featuring: Kay Hust, Barrel Coordinator | | |
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Fred Meyer Rewards! | Those of you Fred Meyer shoppers know their rewards program is money back in your pocket. It can be money in W&K’s pocket, too. Their Community Rewards Program allows you to designate your favorite non-profit – W&K we hope – to receive similar rebates without affecting your own rewards. Its Fred’s way of giving to the community. Please sign up and designate Walk & Knock as your recipient. It’s free money just waiting for you to activate. Visit https://www.fredmeyer.com/i/community/community-rewards |
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Donate to Walk & Knock | All money collected goes directly to the Clark County Food Bank to help those in need.
Mail checks to:
PO Box 353, Vancouver WA 98666, payable to Interservice Walk & Knock
Donate online:
Pay with credit card via Paypal, even if you don't have a Paypal account
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Thank you! | I am honored to be back in my 2nd stint at President of Walk and Knock. I started with Walk and Knock in 1992, knocking on doors in the Burton Elementary area. Now 32 years later I have served on our Board for 13 years. We have seen a lot of changes in the way we operate but the root of our mission stays the same.
Thank you again for being a part of Walk and Knock and please spread the word as we need your help.
You are always welcome to reach out to me at walkandknockjustin@gmail.com
Thank You,
Justin Wood, President |
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