Wheeling comes together for breakfast to help needy families

Dozens of Wheeling residents gathered at the police station Saturday morning for a charitable breakfast benefiting needy families in the community.

Village trustees Ray Lang and Joe Vito cooked pancakes and sausages for the hungry diners while other trustees and volunteers served customers from a long table that also offered fresh fruit, pastries, coffee and orange juice.

The price of admission was a canned good or another type of nonperishable food. Donations will go to food pantries run by Wheeling Township and St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Trustee Dave Vogel said.

Trustees held a similar food drive in early October. They staged this one to help families who lost federal food aid during the recent government shutdown.

“It’s a good time to restock the food pantries and (give) a little more community support,” Lang said.

Wheeling resident Joanne Piel was among the people who enjoyed breakfast in the large vehicle bay at the station Saturday. She was happy to contribute the cause, bringing her son, John, and granddaughter, Hailey, along.

“’Tis the season,” she said.