Parade drill team to collect pantry donations

As Wheaton puts its patriotism on display, one unit in the city's annual Fourth of July Parade will turn that spirit into action by collecting donations for local food pantries.

The Shopping Cart Drill Team from St. Matthew United Church of Christ will make its 38th appearance in the parade to collect items to fill the shelves of the food pantries at the People's Resource Center and the Interfaith Food Pantry as well as cash donations.

Food pantry supplies decrease at local food pantries during the summer months. Wheaton's Fourth of July Parade provides an opportunity for the community to help fill those shelves. The parade steps off at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 4, on North Main Street and continues to downtown Wheaton.

Many church members are involved, from driving the truck that collects the nonperishable goods to collecting cash along the parade route to pushing the shopping carts in the drill team and periodically performing routines to entertain the crowd along the parade route. All donations directly benefit the two food pantries.

Suggested donation items are: canned vegetables or fruits, soup cans and mixes, canned tuna or chicken, dry or canned beans, dry rice, pasta, baking mixes/pancake mixes, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, high nutrition cereal, baby formula, diapers in sizes 4 and up, and personal care items including toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo.

St. Matthew United Church of Christ is at 1420 S. Gables Blvd., Wheaton. For information, visit stmatthewucc.org.