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Food Drive Worth Extra Effort Of Many

Merri Lou Dobler Staff writer

Getting up at 4:30 every morning requires lots of motivation. On a recent Saturday, newspaper carrier Jonnie Larson had two of the best reasons in the world.

His first priority was to bring his Spokane Valley customers their newspaper. But he also collected something from a number of them: bags of food to support area food banks through The Spokesman-Review’s second annual food drive.

Larson, 17, arrived at the food collection point at 10 a.m. with his father, John, and an assortment of food items.

“There was food about every 10 houses,” estimates Larson, who’s had his 90-home route for 2-1/2 years.

“There was more this year than last,” added his dad.

Newspaper volunteers welcomed the food at a number of locations. I joined up with a crew in the West Valley area. It was a pleasant group of volunteers from a variety of departments at the newspaper: production, library services, garage and support services. Spokane Food Bank volunteers Richard and Mary Jo Dillingham also helped out.

Jeff Jones, a machinist who gets off work at 3:30 a.m., arrived with his 11-year-old daughter, Kaila, and headed off for an assignment in the Liberty Lake area.

Terry and Mark Rathbun’s morning adventure included a swing through a trailer court where a determined elderly lady, carrying full bags of food, came running out of her home to catch up with their car. Being in her pajamas didn’t stop her from her mission.

Bev Schermer, a 23-year veteran of the newspaper’s accounting department, teamed up with me to check some neighborhoods. We collected a dozen or so bags and brought them back to join the growing mountain of donations.

Our hats off to you, our readers, who generously filled bags with canned foods and nonperishables. And a big thanks to fellow employees who gave of their time for a meaningful cause.

Garlic, Clam and Bean Sauce

From “Cooking With Three Ingredients,” by Andrew Schloss (HarperCollins, 1996).

1 (10.5-ounce) bottle white clam sauce

1 teaspoon prepared, minced garlic

3/4 cup canned navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 pound cooked spaghetti

In a small saucepan, combine the clam sauce and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the beans and return to a boil. With the back of a large fork or spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over spaghetti.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 293 calories, 7.6 grams fat (23 percent fat calories), 13 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrate, 46 milligrams cholesterol, 545 milligrams sodium, 4.5 grams fiber.

, DataTimes MEMO: The goal of Five and Fifteen is to find recipes where you can do the shopping in five minutes and the cooking in 15. Merri Lou Dobler, a registered dietitian and Spokane resident, welcomes ideas from readers. Write to Five and Fifteen, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN, RECIPE - Five and Fifteen

The goal of Five and Fifteen is to find recipes where you can do the shopping in five minutes and the cooking in 15. Merri Lou Dobler, a registered dietitian and Spokane resident, welcomes ideas from readers. Write to Five and Fifteen, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN, RECIPE - Five and Fifteen