FROM PATCHES NEARBY: Shoppers Open Hearts, Wallets To Stuff A Fire Engine And Help Needy Children

From a logistical standpoint, it was brilliant: Set up a food drive outside the Lakewood  during a peak grocery-shopping time.

Adding a trio of fire engines was the shiny red icing on this charitable cake.

Wednesday evening marked the inaugural Stuff the Fire Engine event for , which this week is collecting nonperishable food and toiletry items for Caring For Kids. The local nonprofit supplies needy children in the Clover Park, University Place and Steilacoom School Districts with clothes, school supplies and more.

Fire Captain Jenny Sharp, public information officer for West Pierce and the organizer of the food drive, said that since Monday, donations have steadily been coming in to the fire stations in Lakewood and University Place, as well as Carr’s Restaurant and the Lakebridge Forza.

“The stations are doing (particularly) well,” she said. “I got a call saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got stuff!’ and that works for me!”

And after Wednesday evening, they would have a whole lot more.

"It's going really well," Sharp said. "We've been overwhelmed by the how much support we have received."

Things started off slowly, but within an hour of the three fire engines pulling into the Safeway parking lot, the cab of one was packed with bags containing body wash and soap, canned chili and ravioli and packages of toilet paper. The crew would be hard pressed to not fill the fire engine by 7 p.m.

While Caring For Kids founder Diane Formoso couldn’t stay long – she was handing out school supplies in the Tillicum neighborhood – her crew of helpers was geared up for the hot, sweaty duration. They flanked the fire engines and stood outside the store with flyers listing the organization’s 2010 statistics – numbers that show the need.

Among them: 1,447 children were served through the clothing bank; 102 families received emergency food; 3,016 children received dental kits and 1,839 students were served at the annual Ready to Learn Fair.

“For this, we’ll do whatever it takes,” said board member Pat Hildebrandt, who was manning the table outside Safeway with fellow board member Margaret Kraft. “There is such a growing need. It seems like no matter how much food we have, it’s never enough.”

Gesturing at the fire trucks across the parking lot, she added, “We just appreciate them so much.”

Hildebrandt’s face lit up as a woman stopped in front of the table with a black cart full of instant noodle soup, peanut butter and canned fruit.

“It’s an honor to be able to help out,” the shopper said before slipping away to the parking lot.

In addition to handing off bags of food, shoppers coming in and out of Safeway stopped to drop cash in a donations bucket on the table.

“It’s absolutely wonderful,” said board member June Williams. “There’s certainly a need – and it’s good to get the community involved with the fire department.”

Sharp said that she hopes to make the food drive an annual event. Eight firefighters volunteered their time on Wednesday evening, and she said that the City of Lakewood was taking up a collection at its staff picnic scheduled for the same time at Fort Steilacoom Park.

“They’re always in need of food, and they’re such a fantastic community partner,” she said of Caring For Kids, of which she recently joined the board. “This is one way to give back.”

Some of the donors were in a hurry to get home, handing off their bags with a word or two, and others, with young revelers in tow, stopped to admire the shiny fire engines – and get a special fire hat and sticker from the firefighters present.

Balarie McLeod, president of the Lakewood Knights Lions Club, dropped by with a pair of bags filled with toothpaste, soap and shampoo en route to visiting her newborn grandson.

“I always like to give back,” said McLeod, who teaches first grade at Southgate Elementary, one of the Clover Park schools that receives significant support from Caring For Kids. “It is outstanding to see what we can do – and this fire department works very closely with the community.”

Standing next to one of the shiny red rigs, firefighter Bryan Copeland was playing host to those bringing donations up to the fire engine. His engine services the Lake City area, so he wanted to lend a hand.

“The department is happy to be involved, and Caring For Kids is a great organization to be involved with,” he said.

Donations can be dropped off through Friday at Station 31, 3631 Drexler Drive W. in University Place; Station 20, 1092 Pacific Highway S.W. in Lakewood; and Carr’s Restaurant and Lakebridge Forza, both of which are on Bridgeport Way Southwest in Lakewood. Those who donate at Carr’s receive a coupon for 10 percent off their bill.