Jul 16, 2013 3 min read

What do a concert, a tractor pull, fireworks and charity have in common? Washington County residents can find all of these at the Washington County Fairgrounds Friday when the third annual Great American Food Drive comes to town.

This year’s theme is “Pulling Together to End Hunger in America” and will feature a tractor and truck pull as the main event. Gates open at 4 p.m. and admission to the tractor pull is $10. Ages 7 to 12 can get in to the event for $5 and children six and under get in free of charge. The country concert following the tractor and truck pull is free if people bring a food donation, and all ticket sales and collected food will benefit the Greater Washington County Food Bank.

“(We) encourage all of the churches and community clubs to bring food out that day … (It) makes a difference,” said Chris Plumtree, director of charitable giving for the food bank.

The food bank hopes to collect 50,000 pounds of food this year, through either monetary or food donations, benefitting the food bank’s 38 circle pantries.

The tractor pull will begin at 6 p.m., and following the tractor pull will be the Hometown Country Tour Concert series, featuring Chris Higbee. Fireworks will close out the evening and the event will end at 11 p.m.

Food Bank Executive Director Lisa Nuccetelli said if people don’t want to bring food, there will be cases on site that can be purchased for either $5, $10 or $15.

Volunteers are needed everywhere from helping at the gate, to collecting food, or helping out at the hospitality tent.

“Donated food allows (us) to keep up with the demand,” Nuccetelli said. The food bank feeds more than 4,700 families every month in Washington County.

The Great American Food Drive was moved to the fairgrounds after the event grew too large for its previous location at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Because most of Washington County was rural, according to Plumtree, the fairgrounds location fitting after all of the support it receives from the rural community.

“We wanted to pay tribute to the large support …” he said.

To help raise awareness for the event, the food bank is also hosting a “Pallet of Food Challenge,” where it encourages churches and other groups to hold a food drive prior to the event and deliver the collected food to the fairgrounds. Nuccetelli said an average pallet of food weighs approximately 1,800 pounds. A pallet of food can also be purchased with a donation of $500.

Volunteers can visit the food bank’s website, www.gwcfb.org, for more information, or call the main office at 724-229-8175.