LIHU’E — Radio announcers are making a difference in assuring that the hungry are fed during the holidays, according to officials with the Kauai Food Bank. Last week, KQNG disc jockeys Ron Wiley and Marc Valentin engaged in a four-day,
LIHU’E — Radio announcers are making a difference in assuring that the hungry are fed during the holidays, according to officials with the Kauai Food Bank.
Last week, KQNG disc jockeys Ron Wiley and Marc Valentin engaged in a four-day, on-air campaign to see who would be able to raise the most food for the Kauai Food Bank during the food bank’s annual holiday food and fund drive.
Armed with two identical-sized cardboard boxes, the on-air personalities waged their friendly competition through the week.
The competition started slowly, but then, overnight on Thursday, the food and money started rolling in, overflowing the boxes. The competition ended last week, and yesterday the pair’s efforts were collected and tabulated by Kelvin Moniz and Helen Juliano of the food bank.
“When I came to check, there was only loose change in the box,” Juliano said.
Juliano, project development coordinator for the Kauai Food Bank, said that the collection of the KQNG Food Challenge was calculated so the money was converted to food poundage.
Valentin amassed 175 pounds of food and $46.35, for a total of 205 pounds, while Wiley’s total amounted to 111 pounds of food and $50 for a total of 143 pounds.
“It must have been the socks,” Wiley said, good-naturedly, referring to a picture run in The Garden Island last week of the two of them, Valentin adjusting his socks in the KONG Radio Group Halenani Street studio.
The Kauai Food Bank’s holiday food drive goal is to raise 20,000 pounds of food and $20,000 by Friday, Dec. 16.
People interested in contributing to ensure that no one goes hungry during the holiday season may drop off their contributions at any of the Kaua’i Fire Department fire stations, or at the Kauai Food Bank’s Nawiliwili facility.
Moniz said they have a secured drop box for people who visit the food bank after business hours.
