If you had '3,922' in the office pool, you win. That's because '3,922' represented the number of one-pound bags of rice that were scooped, weighed, twist-tied and labeled Tuesday afternoon when volunteers from Yonkers Raceway, its driving colony, Empire City and the Standardbred Owners of New York assisted the Food Bank for Westchester.
It was the second visit by the Raceway Gang to the mammoth warehouse in Elmsford, located about 20 minutes north of Yonkers. Dozens of participants, including leading drivers Jason Bartlett, Brent Holland, Mark MacDonald, Larry Stalbaum and Jordan Stratton, were adorned in get-to-work chic, complete with aprons, hair nets and gloves.
The contingent, forming an impromptu assembly line with a merry band of cohorts, did its small part to help the hungry, and those at risk of being hungry, throughout the county.
The teamwork among the drivers was a far cry from their nightly battles on the racetrack, though to a man, they understood the bigger picture.
“Just knowing you're helping is rewarding," Holland said.
“It's something we can do to make a difference for people who really need it," Bartlett said.
"It was my first time here, and you could see all the good work they do," MacDonald said.
“Helping out the people here is great," Stalbaum said. "If everybody did a little extra, it would make a big difference."
"You take a few hours out of your day to make someone's life a little easier," Stratton said.
The Raceway and its horsemen have also pledged to make a donation to the Food Bank.
The Food Bank for Westchester, one of eight food banks in New York State, is the backbone of the county’s emergency food network. It acquires, warehouses and distributes more than seven million pounds of food annually to over 220 frontline hunger-relief organizations. Those organizations include food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, day care and residential programs.
In early 2012, the Food Bank moved to a larger warehouse (200 Clearbrook Road in Elmsford), getting more food out the estimated 200,000 people in Westchester who are hungry or at risk of hunger. The Food Bank’s mission is to lead, engage and educate county residents in creating a hunger-free environment.
For more information, contact the Food Bank (914-923-1100) or visit www.foodbankforwestchester.org.
(Yonkers Raceway)