Local

Onalaska Hilltopper Rotary donates $7,367 to help feed those in need

Published

3 years ago

January 29, 2021

Hilltopper Rotary Spokesman Dan Stevens presents the check to Food Basket Executive Director Ruth Krett (Photo Credit: OHRC)

A heart-warming gift will help cool food for families in need.

The Onalaska Hilltopper Rotary club (OHRC) gave the Food Basket in Onalaska $7,367 to help the pantry buy a large, commercial-grade freezer.

Benedict Sales and Service installed the freezer Thursday morning and donated the cost of delivery and installation.

“We’re very happy to be part of a great community project,” Luke Benedict of Benedict Sales and Service said.

Festival Foods also covered the cost of the freezer with a grant.

“One of the best things about Onalaska is the generous spirit of people living here,” Hilltopper Rotary Spokesman Dan Stevens said. “It’s common to see people, businesses and organizations come together to make this a great place to call home.”

Food Basket Executive Director Ruth Krett said the new freezer will help the pantry in its mission to serve the area.

“If you know someone in need from Onalaska, Holmen, West Salem, Galesville, or Trempealeau, let them know we have food resources to help them and their family,” Krett said.

The Food Basket is located at 735 Sand Lake Rd in back of the Onalaska American Legion.

Kaitlyn Riley

Kaitlyn Riley’s passion for communications started on her family’s dairy farm in Gays Mills, Wis. Wanting to share agriculture’s story, she studied strategic communications and broadcast journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In college, she held officer positions with the Association of Women in Agriculture and Badger Dairy Club while volunteering as a news reporter for the college radio station. She also founded the university’s first agricultural radio talk show, AgChat. In her professional career, Kaitlyn has worked in radio, print and television news doing everything from covering local events to interviewing presidential candidates, and putting back on her barn boots to chat with farmers in the field. Today, Kaitlyn can be seen covering local stories that matter to you in the La Crosse area.