There was a spirit of generosity and joy throughout Sullivan’s Foods, 300 N. Madison Street, Morrison, IL, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Saturday, November 22, 2014. Their annual Holiday Open House had much to offer customers and opportunities to share with the Morrison Friends Food Pantry. Manager Dan Baker and Assistant Manager Jeramie Reatherford and the Sullivan’s Foods staff prepared multiple overlapping events.
Continuing the store’s ongoing support of Morrison Friends Food Pantry, customers have been “purchasing” a colorful leaf and writing their name on it. Leaves of donations decorate the entrance. These donations became a part of the Holiday Open House event.
So far, Baker reported, patrons have donated $510; the promotion continues until Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 27.
Throughout the year, at the checkout counter shoppers can fill out a cash coupon to support the local food pantry.
Store employees bagged groceries and priced them at $10, although the value exceeded that. Customers bought bags at a table from MFFP Director Kaywyn Beswick, right, and Volunteer Deb Wikoff. Baker holds one of the prepared bags with its contents listed.
Baker stressed the customers make the store’s donations possible each year. He offered his sincere thanks to the public benefactors.
As of Monday, November 24, 59 food bag sales had netted $590. Food bags can be purchased until Christmas, Thursday, December 25, Baker added.
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.–Customers who purchased a store gift card received 5% off the price. Visitors could register at the same table for store gifts. The following names were drawn hourly. If your name appears below, head to the Customer Service Desk at Sullivan’s Foods to collect your prize.
- $20 Sullivan’s Gift Card: Ruth Tenboer and Polly Vos, Morrison
- A 5-pound tub of Sullivan’s Pulled Pork: Robert Vos, Morrison
- Two 8-ounce Rib Eye Steaks: Doug Alcala
- $20 Fruit Basket: Laura Decker, Morrison
- A 12-pound Turkey: Elaine Akker, Morrison.
At noon Scotty Denning, Morrison, was randomly selected for the exciting, 30-second Sullivan’s Shopping Spree. When asked about his plan of attack he stated, “I’m going to the meat department!” When the half-minute was over, his cart contained several turkeys; a ham; a prime rib roast; two boxes of meat; a large package of ground beef; rib eye steaks; a large, Pork Loin Crown Rib Roast valued at $78. Total value of the Shopping Spree was $433.86–truly something for which Denning can be thankful this week and into the months ahead!
Reatherford, Denning, and Baker are shown in the Meat Department after the spree and at the checkout counter.
9:00 a.m. to noon–Face painting by Morrison High School Cheerleading Coach Amanda Cook, standing, and MHS Junior Ashley Hagerman transformed little faces into walking art works. Mya Shepard, 9, left, chose to portray the popular Disney character, Elsa. Alivia Story, 8, was a little deer.
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.–Cookie decorating was a hit with all ages. Cups of frosting and sprinkles from the Bakery Department were available to adorn snowmen, trees, and stars. It is impossible to see the many layers in the confection by Annabelle Blevins, 7, of Morrison.
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11:00 a.m.–The Pie Eating Contest yielded two Morrison winners. Eugene Heumann won the adult division. Seventeen-year-old Zach Altenhoff took the youth prize.
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.–Every hour included a Cake Walk. One of the six winners was Adam Helms, age 6, of Morrison. He took home a frog cake in 2013.
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.–Santa Claus offered a bench for sharing Christmas wishes and a candy cane. Reatherford kept his requests secret.
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.–Delicatessen Manager Heather Nichols, left, and Connie Baar served apple cider and an assortment of nibbles in the Produce Department. There were plates of meatballs in sauce, cheese, and summer sausage; spicy guacamole in crispy “Scoops”; sweet red grapes in fruit sauce. Hors d’oeuvre platters can be ordered for holiday gatherings. The guacamole mix and meatball sauce they used were available for purchase. The women also took reservations for gift fruit baskets.
