People donated 26,000 pounds of food and $21,600 in cash on the first day of the weeklong food drive to honor the memories of four slain Lakewood police officers.
“We’re on pace to reach or surpass our goal of 50,000 pounds of food and $50,000 in cash,” Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler announced in a news release Wednesday.
The 2nd Annual Fallen Officers Food Drive began Tuesday, the second anniversary of the deaths of Lakewood police Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Ronald Owens. The four were gunned down the morning of Nov. 29, 2009, as they began their shift at a Parkland coffee shop.
Family members and colleagues of the four officers spent Tuesday outside the Lakewood Police Department, collecting donations for Emergency Food Network. The drive continues through Monday.
Food and cash donations can be collected at all Pierce County Forza coffee shops, all Pierce County library branches, Lakewood Ace Hardware at 8123 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W., and Rusty’s Auto and Truck Repair at 19912 Meridian Ave. E., in Graham. A Storage Center also is accepting donations at two locations: 220 E. 112th St. in Parkland and 15413 First Ave. Ct. S. in Spanaway.
Donations also are being accepted on the Emergency Food Network’s website, www.efoodnet.org or by texting the word HUNGER to 85944 to donate $10 via their cellular bill. This can be done up to five times a day.
Last year, the drive brought in $31,034.84 in cash and 23,171 pounds of food.
Stacey Mulick stacey.mulick@thenews tribune.com
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