Great Lakes flies for food

Airports usually contain plenty of planes and passengers, but during September, Great Lakes Aviation hopes Jamestown Regional Airport will also contain plenty of food.

The Cheyenne, Wyo.-based company is bringing its annual company-wide Flyin’ 4 Food campaign to Jamestown for the first time this year, collecting nonperishable food items at its ticket counter in exchange for a chance to win free round-trip tickets to Minneapolis.

“We really hope to get people out and donate some nonperishable items to feed the needy,” said Monica Taylor-Lee, director of public relations for Great Lakes Aviation. “It’s a really great program and it’s been really well-received in our cities, for sure.”

Nonperishable items can be brought to the Great Lakes ticket counter in the new terminal at JRA between 5 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 1 and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting Sept. 3. The final day for donations is Sept. 28.

People donating food in Jamestown have the chance to win one round-trip ticket to Minneapolis per week.

All the food gathered will go to Progress Recovery Center, also known as the Progress Community Center, which works with the mentally ill to provide them with social skills, recreation, laundry services and other assistance.

The Progress Recovery Center will distribute the food to low-income people who need it, and will use some of the food for the lunches they serve to about 50 people each weekday at the center, said Allen Falk, the Center’s director.

“That’s probably the only really good, well-balanced meal that they get that day,” Falk said. “That’s why it’s kind of important.”

Last year’s Flyin’ 4 Food campaign brought in more than a ton of food from cities that participated. This year, airports in 48 cities in 14 states will collect food.

Taylor-Lee said the effort doesn’t take much staff time, apart from the time spent hanging up flyers and encouraging people to donate food, and then the delivery of the food at the end of the month.

The campaign costs the company about $2,000 to $3,000 per property involved, with the bulk of that being in the cost of the free tickets.

“We really try to be a part of the community as much as we can,” Taylor-Lee added.

Sun reporter Kari Lucin can be reached at 701-952-8453

or by email at klucin@jamestownsun.com

Tags: food drive, news, airlines