American Empress delivers comfort, joy to food banks
By Diane McClay For The Skamania County Pioneer, January 6, 2021
File photo by Philip L. Watness
The American Queen Steamboat Co. and its parent company, Hornblower, delivered post-holiday comfort and joy to Cascade Locks and Skamania County in an unexpected yet meaningful way last week.
Regional cold, rain and sleet had no impact on the warmth of generosity and kindness, as American Empress crew members diligently moved about 3,500 pounds of frozen goods and pantry items from below deck to the topside and into food bank cupboards in Gresham, Stevenson and Cascade Locks.
The Washington Gorge Action Program Stevenson Food Bank and the Cascade Locks Chapter of Hood River County-sponsored F.I.S.H. Food Bank each received 870 pounds of freezer and pantry items. Crew members Eddie Dye, chief engineer, Jack Spencer, 2nd engineer, Robert Moreau, qualified member of the engine department, and Deckhands Darrin Elder and Andrew McIntire, emergency medical technician, were integral to the food distribution into the community.
“The pandemic hasn’t just impacted our company, our passengers and our crew,” Dye said. “We know it impacts our destination communities too. Rather than throw food away, we felt compelled to make sure the food supported our local port communities and their families in need.”
Canby resident and 2nd Engineer Jack Spencer started a new kind of food network when he learned the company needed to offload unexpired food before the years’ end. He reached out to a long-time friend and Stevenson resident, Diane McClay, who in turn contacted Food Bank Coordinators Patty Nichols with WaGAP and Martha La Mont with the Cascade Locks chapter of Hood River’s F.I.S.H Program.
In three days, six volunteers and five crew members delivered a variety of frozen meats, vegetables, desserts, condiments, and dry goods directly into the hands of people who needed the food most.
“We just feel blessed to have this kind of bounty come to our clients, especially this time of the year,” La Mont said.
Volunteer Samantha Verschuren echoed Martha’s sentiment.
“The American Empress crew members are angels,” she said. “Our clients will get to make some meals with ‘flavors of the region’ in ways a regular food pantry wouldn’t be able to provide.”
Sundie Bates and Don Hensgen nodded their heads in agreement and gratitude. They are not only volunteers but food recipients as well.
F.I.S.H. stands for Friendly, Instant, Sympathetic, Health, and these donations are precisely that. La Mont said the pandemic has doubled the number of families in Cascade Locks from 45 families to 90. The Stevenson Food Bank serves roughly 200 to 250 households or an estimated 500 to 600 individuals.
“The Washington Gorge Action Program appreciates the food donation from the American Empress crew members, and their parent companies American Queen Steamboat Co. and Hornblower for their generous donation,” Nichols said.
La Mont said the food banks have other needs, too.
“People mistakenly think we only distribute food. In reality, we support families in need with personal care products such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, razors, toothbrushes, and other toiletries and hygiene products.”
Cash donations, volunteers, and the donation of other ‘everyday necessities’ are also important components of these critical community support programs. Canned protein and cold or frozen meats also have high demand.
WaGAP and F.I.S.H. each welcome anyone who is fortunate enough to not have concerns about food scarcity to help in some manner.
People can take meaningful action to help warm the kitchens and fill the cupboards of their neighbors. They may contact the program coordinators directly or visit the websites listed below to see how they can reduce the food scarcity/abundance scales within their communities.
Contact Stevenson Food Bank Coordinator Patty Nichols at 509-427-4334. Contact Martha La Mont at marthalamont@embarqmail.com.
Or go to https://www. fish-food-bank.com/item-donations, https://www.wagap. org/donate, and https://www. wagap.org/donate-espanol.