Second Harvest salutes National Guard as food mission wraps up

LORAIN — After the Ohio National Guard lent a helping hand to Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio for more than a year, the food bank showed its appreciation Thursday as the Guard wrapped up its mission. Members of the Guard received wheat-shaped medallions, symbolizing the military's connection with Second Harvest, while the Guard returned the favor with special patches for the food bank. The Ohio National Guard and State Defense Force had been called upon statewide during the coronavirus pandemic to assist food banks and warehouses amid great need of food assistance. "I really want to just express our sincerest thanks again. Know that you did something that is going to be forever remembered, and you've created some very deep and sincere bonds with everybody here that works at Second Harvest," said Ron Cocco, Second Harvest executive committee chair. "I hope that you've come away with that same feeling of deep appreciation for what you've accomplished and you never forget it. We'll never forget it," he told members of the Guard. They have helped the food bank in a number of capacities during the pandemic, including unloading and distributing food at drive-up events held throughout the county. Between March 2020 and the end of June 2021, Second Harvest distributed 18.6 million pounds of food and served 172,000 unique individuals with the help of the Guard, said President and CEO Julie Chase-Morefield. She described the 18.6 million pounds of food as extraordinary and an amount so high it may have seemed unattainable before. "With all those trunks you loaded, and all the boxes that you packed, and all the work out in the warehouse and driving in the trucks, I hope you understand how much, not only it meant to us to be in it with us, but also to everybody in the community," Chase-Morefield said. Representatives from multiple elected officials attended Thursday's sendoff to offer their congratulations to the Guard. State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, attended in person and spoke about a resolution in the Ohio House that would recognize the Guard's efforts across the state. "You kept the peace, you kept the calm. A lot of people were hungry, they were scared and you brought a presence during that difficult time," Miller said. Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley presented a medallion to Staff Sgt. Daniel Vujicic with the Lorain seal on one side and "coronavirus 2020-2021" on the other. Only 100 medallions were made, Bradley said. Mark Ballard II, the Elyria mayor's liaison and Second Harvest board member, read a proclamation from Mayor Frank Whitfield thanking the Guard for their role in helping feed area residents during the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.