Published: April 29, 2008 01:07 am         

Aiming to stamp out hunger

GREENVILLE — Greenville letter carrier Danny Gladden said he got lots of attention when he wore his pink “Stamp Out Hunger” T-shirt on Monday. But he did it for a good cause.

On May 10, letter carriers across the county and across the nation will be participating in the National Stamp Out Hunger Campaign.

During the campaign, letter carriers are asking their patrons to donate nonperishable foods and leave them in their mailbox, hanging on their mailbox or beside their mailbox. Then on May 10, the letter carriers will pick up the canned foods when the drop off and pick up residents’ mail. All the food donated will go towards the Hunt County Shared Ministries (FISH) program.

Gladden said he chose the pink T-shirt for a reason.

“I wear blue every day and nobody pays much attention to it,” he said. “(But by wearing pink) people will stop and ask me what the T-shirt stands for. I get a lot of attention and even a few giggles, but then it gives me a chance to help promote the campaign.”

Steve Duncan represents the Greenville Texas letter carriers and is the coordinator for the food drive. He said that they are going to get a headstart on the program this year.

“Last year, we collected 4,000 pounds food, and the goal this year is to collect 10,000 pounds,” he said.

Their headstart on the program begins on the Wal-Mart parking lot Thursday and Friday.

“We’ll have a truck, covered with a banner, on the parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on both days,” he said. “We’ll have letter carriers there collecting food including retired and rural carriers.”

Since Duncan is hoping for a big turn out of donations on Thursday and Friday, he’s inviting any civic groups or organizations to come help collect the food and load it into the truck.

On May 8, local letter carriers will be leaving fliers at every residents asking them to donate and leave their canned foods at their mailbox on May 10,” he said.

“The carriers in Greenville our excited to be a part of this program and help to stamp out hunger in Hunt County,” he said. “We’ll also be dedicating this year’s campaign in memory of Phil Sudderth, a 25-year-veteran letter carrier who was dedicated to the Stamp Out Hunger campaign.”

For more information, contact Steve Duncan at 903-408-9802.