E.L.F. food drive set this week

Havre Daily News staff

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show that Lorna Bjerga is the manager of the Havre Community Food Bank.

Havre firefighters will be out this week with lights flashing on their fire trucks — but with any luck, they will not be responding to any fires.

The Everybody Loves Firefighters food drive for the Havre Community Food Bank is set for Wednesday and Thursday, with firefighters and volunteers collecting food to help the food bank through the winter season.

“This is our biggest food drive that we do every year,” Food Bank Manager Lorna Bjerga said. “This one helps us get through the winter months until April.”

Bjerga said the demand for food climbs up in winter months, and the E.L.F. drive also helps the bank put together baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

She said people who want to help firefighters collect food need to be at the fire station at 520 Fourth St. by 6 p.m. To help sort and put away food, they should be at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church at 410 Fifth Ave. by 7 p.m.

The firefighters and volunteers will be collecting food from residences on the east side of Fifth Avenue Wednesday night and the west side Thursday.

People can donate nonperishable food items to the food drive.

Bjerga said the need is great, with more and more people seeming to need assistance.

“They say the economy is better, but I have seen an increase in clients,” she said. “I’m seeing probably 10 new clients a month lately.”