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Niles Police race to food-drive finish
Niles Police Chief Dean Strzelecki, left, Cmdr. Joseph Penze, and Sgt. Robert Tornabene stand with some of the food the Police Department collected for Golf Mill's food-drive campaign. | Contributed photo
Updated: February 25, 2013 2:21AM
NILES
The Niles Police Department was named the winner of the 2012 Festival of Trees, a food-drive contest organized by Golf Mill Shopping Center.
The Police Department collected 4,423 food items benefitting the Maine Township Food Pantry. In total, this year’s Festival of Trees provided 7,153 food items for the pantry, more than double the previous year’s collection, according to Golf Mill.
The competition involved 11 local organizations that each decorated a tree at the shopping center and collected non-perishable food items.
Niles Police Chief Dean Strzelecki said the Police Department collected its food by reaching out to community organizations and businesses through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
“We’re very happy and proud of the support,” he said.
The Police Department received a trophy for its win.
Other participants in this year’s Festival of Trees were the Niles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Parents and Teachers Association of Ignacy J. Paderewski Polish School, Gordon Food Service Market Place, Niles Fire Department, Maine Township, Edward Jones, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Niles Public Library, St. John Lutheran Church and Ross Dress for Less.~.
