Letter carriers throughout the nation will be collecting nonperishable food Saturday, May 8, as part of the Letter Carrier Food Drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers and National Rural Letter Carrier Association.
    Homeowners are asked to leave nonperishable foods - canned goods, pasta, rice, and other items that will not spoil - either inside their mail boxes or in a box or bag on the ground beside the mail box, said Curtis Gay, food drive coordinator for the Statesboro Post Office.
    All foods collected in Bulloch County will remain in the area, taken to the Statesboro Food Bank for distribution to those in need, he said.
    The Letter Carriers Food Drive is always held the day before Mother's Day, he said.
    "With the economic hardships we are facing today, the local food banks are having a hard time keeping food on the shelves," he said. "This food drive is really important to the Statesboro Food Bank, as they try to keep up with the needs of the area. If everyone will join the team with their local mail carriers, we can go a long way in satisfying that need."
    If everyone in Statesboro would give just two cans of food, it would double the amount of the largest previous collection, he said.
    Volunteers are standing by to help sort, box and deliver the collected items to the food bank, Gay said.  For the 13th year, local motorcycle riders are volunteering their time to help with this worthy cause. Members of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, Southern Thunder Cruisers, and Christian Motorcyclists Association will be hard at work, giving back to their community."
    Whether it be a single can of food or a bag filled with nonperishables, Gay urges citizens to participate in the effort.