Hi Folks,

2011 Fourth Quarter Report

To put it another way, at 1.3 lbs. per meal, we donated 10,192 meals or we fed 3,397 people three meals in one day. It’s amazing, after three years of weekly donations, we only missed last year’s total weight by 50 lbs.Where we far exceeded expectations is in our cash donations. This year’s total was $3,220.01. Based on the cost of the Community Food Bank’s food and services we donated $32,200.10. That’s a $1.00 = $10.00 ratio. Last year our cash donation was $2,654.70 or $565.31 less than this year.

Next Sunday is the beginning of our fourth year of donating to the Community Food Bank. I’m still hungry to help and after analyzing 2011’s figures, I know you are, too.

The Divas Are Back

In December, two years ago, Debbie and her Eastside Domestic Diva friends collected a bunch of food and dropped it off at her sister’s home on Miles Street. They did it again this year but this time they heard about the Community Food Bank’s request for cereal. When I got to Kelly’s home near the end of Miles, I could see her front porch was brimming with boxes. So many, in fact, Kelly, in her bare feet, had to help me carry them over the gravel walkway to my car.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” I asked. “I could only walk on gravel barefoot if someone were shooting at me.”

“When it comes to bare feet,” Kelly replied, “men are such…”

I didn’t quite hear that last word because my mind was overwhelmed with the thought of jagged little rocks digging deep into my tender arches.

At the food bank Tuesday morning the cereal boxes reached twice as high as our highest stack ever. With so many hungry kids, the Divas can break our cereal stacking record any time they want.

We collected a total of 240 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $206.75, $175.00 in checks and $31.75 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Hi Folks,

Maen Mdanat, owner of the Axis Food Mart

Since February 2010, I have been writing about my friend Maen Mdanat, the owner of the Axis Food Mart. The reason is he never disappoints me. Tiger Woods disappoints me. Joe Paterno and the whole Penn State crew disappoints me. But Maen, even as time and a stressful business economy trudges on, is the same person I met that chilly day in his parking lot almost two years ago . He reminds me of a company president who, when asked why he doesn’t take notes in meetings, said, “I don’t have to, I never lie.”
People have raised questions about Maen’s character, integrity and ethnicity when he applied for his beer and wine license and again when he applied for a liquor license. Those questions forced him to defend himself and his business and cost him a lot in legal fees. He prevailed with no malice in his heart.

Through all of those tribulations, I was one of his most ardent supporters because he listened to my ideas about protecting our neighborhood and helped eradicate the vagrant problem. During a licensing session at the city council, Councilman Frimbres shook our hands and asked me, “He’s still a good guy, right?”

“Yes, sir, he is,” I replied. I could tell Councilman Fimbres was counting on me to vouch for Maen because he knew how much my One Can A Week program means to me and that I wouldn’t jeopardize my reputation for anything.

Today there are more people standing in Maen’s corner providing support, namely the Tucson Police Department.

If you remember in June of this year I wrote in the 129th Week Update, The Beer Keg Caper about Maen’s efforts to help the police capture a thief. Well, a little over a week ago Maen received a letter from the Tucson Police Department with an update on the case and a commendation. The letter reads in full:

“Mr. Maen Mdanat,

Maen’s been very good for the Miles Neighborhood in many, many ways.

I’ve thanked him a number time for keeping me and my neighbors safe. Perhaps in the spirit of the holiday season you could stop by his store and thank him yourself.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Rain and Shine

The rain chased the sun in and out of the clouds this past Sunday but no matter, we collected more than 30 lbs. above our weekly average. With great results like that, who cares if you get a little wet.

We collected a total of 200 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $107.50, a $25.00 check and $82.50 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Hi Folks,

Lorraine Aguilar stands beside one of the largest of many hundreds of nativity scenes that decorate her Miles Street home during the Christmas holiday. She is such a cheerful lady I wanted to capture her very warm smile in the photo but she became a bit involved in that “my picture is being taken thing.” “Cheese” wasn’t going to work so I said, just before I snapped the shutter, “Now tell yourself a dirty story.” Got it!

For the past 46 years, The St. Augustine Cathedral celebrates “Las Posadas” in neighborhoods around Tucson and the Aguilar Family is one of the homes the peregrinos or pilgrims look forward to visiting. The moment you enter Lorraine’s home you are surrounded with literally hundreds of nativity scenes in different sizes and design from around the world. They are on shelves and in cabinets and along the wall so no matter where you turn, your eyes are dazzled with images of the First Christmas. Lorraine said they stopped counting “after they bought their 400th nativity scene.”

“’Las Posadas’ (shelter) is a traditional Christmas Novena” the St. Augustine Cathedral bulletin states, that “commemorates the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem and their seeking shelter in anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ.

“’Las Posadas’ is a nine day procession of the faithful carrying the statues of the Holy Family while reciting and singing traditional prayers and songs. It was instituted in Acolman, Mexico, in 1587 by Fray Diego de Soria who wished to introduce a Christian Christmas devotion to the newly converted Aztec Indians. …This novena is still celebrated in Mexico and in many Hispanic communities throughout the world today.”

The host families this year in the Miles Neighborhood are the Cota-Robles Family on 12th Street and the Altamirano Family on Miles Street.

The event begins at 6:45 pm, Tuesday, December 20th on the Southwest Corner of Miles and Vine Streets.

Whether you are a member of the St. Augustine Cathedral or not, “Las Posadas” is a wonderful family event and a reminder in this age of technology and gadgets that “peace on earth” is still the best gift we can give each other.

Fortune Smiles

The first leg of my rounds Sunday was “unremarkable” as the doctors say but then I got a call from Barbara on 12th Street who was heading out to church and wanted to know when I would stop by. She has a $500.00 check she did not want to leave with the food at Lenny’s house. Lenny, too, was away celebrating a family birthday.

Turns out the check was written by Patricia, Lenny’s sister who manages a non-profit and this year they selected the Community Food Bank for a contribution.

That was not the end of it. After I completed my rounds at 2:15, I drove up to my Ford to unload and along the full length of the back bumper was a row of shopping bags. Kym had dropped off her 13th Street collection and it was maybe four times more than usual. In fact, she had to make a mid-round break to empty her Radio Flyer wagon because it was getting too heavy.

Kym told me that her neighbors across the street had a party Saturday night and the price of admission was a can or more for the Community Food Bank.

We collected a total of 276 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $606.50, $550.00 checks and $56.50 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter