Wauconda power shoppers stock food pantry shelves
It's not a stretch to say Marsha and Rick Fedor are power shoppers.
They drive to the Wauconda Aldi four to five times a week in their Toyota Rav 4, fill the back of the SUV with food, then drive to the Wauconda/Island Lake Food Pantry and restock the shelves.
"I'd say we spend about $6,000 to $8,000 a month at Aldi," Rick Fedor, 66, said. "We used to order it and get it delivered, but it's cheaper if we do it ourselves."
They also stop at other locations where items are donated, including three additional pickups to get items such as hamburger and other perishables, the Fedors said.
For "about 15 years," the Wauconda duo have volunteered at the food pantry, Marsha Fedor, 65, said. She also works full time at Deerbrook Medical. Rick has been retired for one year.
"All the shopping we do is from donated money at the food pantry," she said. "It's definitely a lot of shopping."
Between 220 to 230 families in need visit the food pantry on Bonner Road in Wauconda each week to stock up on food purchased by the pair. They also serve on the pantry board and take shifts working at the food pantry every Saturday and on occasional Wednesday nights.
They estimate they have stocked the shelves for about 40,000 families during 15 years.
Families are allowed to shop at the food pantry only once a month, and are limited on what they are allowed to take, depending on the size of their families. The pantry provides canned goods and other pantry staples, along with meat, fruit and vegetables.
"It's pretty gratifying when you see the people come in and shop," Marsha said. "Everyone who comes in and shops has a story to tell. They all have a story on why they are there and what is happening in their life."
Marsha said they moved to Wauconda about 15 years earlier and were looking for something to do. Church leaders approached her about working at the food pantry, and she tried it out.
"I tried it and liked it, so I told Rick to try it," she said. "We never stopped.
Money to stock the food pantry comes from the community through events such as the Wauconda Turkey Trot. The 6th annual 4-mile race around Bangs Lake in Wauconda is set for today at 9:15 a.m. Participants will receive a T-shirt and there will be live music, awards for the 4-mile winners, snacks and a family event.
The Fedors said the food pantry collects about $15,000 annually from the race.
"We couldn't do what we do without the help from the community and the other volunteers at the food pantry," Rick Fedor said. "It's very rewarding for us to help the people we do, especially at Thanksgiving."
For Thanksgiving, there will be 130 turkeys and 100 whole chickens available for families in need.
"Some people don't like turkey, so we get chickens for them," Marsha said. "Plus, they can pick up items at the food pantry to have a full Thanksgiving dinner."
As for their own cupboards, they say all the shopping they do for others makes them hold back on the amount of shopping they do for themselves.
"We eat out a lot," Rick Fedor said.