New Windsor mayor ‘couldn’t have asked for a better day’ at annual food, donation drive – Baltimore Sun

Neal Roop doesn’t count each item of food donated at the annual Mayor on the Square fundraising event like he did in the first year. By now, New Windsor’s mayor has a pretty good idea what 2,000 pounds looks like after his inaugural donation and food drive five years ago.

So after Saturday’s event wrapped up at the corner of Main and High streets, Roop said he knew what he had collected to benefit St. Paul United Methodist Church and the New Windsor Food Bank. The Mayor on the Square for 2020 finished with more than 2 tons of food, Roop said, along with more than $2,000 for the food bank to use.

The event also collected between 50 and 75 coats, Roop said, for The Shepherd’s Staff’s Call for Coats drive.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better day,” Roop said. “The donations were phenomenal, from people that have donated every year to a lot of new people. A lot of new donations.”

Mayor Neal Roop helps unload a donation from Donna Babylon and Tammy Ray. New Windsor Mayor Neal Roop held his 5th annual “Mayor on the Square” event. Neal was on the square in New Windsor collecting can goods and coats for the New Windsor Food Pantry from 9am to 5pm, Saturday, November 21, 2020.
(Jeffrey F. Bill/Carroll County Times)

Roop said he had one family come from Sykesville to bring up coats for donation. And with the amount of food collected throughout the day, Roop said they received “2 tons without any problems.”

The New Windsor Food Bank is open on Wednesdays from 5:30 pm to 7 pm, and it serves people from the New Windsor and Union Bridge communities. The Shepherd’s Staff’s Blessing Closet also received donations of toiletries and personal hygiene products, Roop said.

Mayor Roop and volunteers (l to r) Kelly Hill, William Hebron, and Theresa Hebron stood behind tables full of food donations on the square. This year’s collection was one of the more successful collections according to the mayor. New Windsor Mayor Neal Roop held his 5th annual “Mayor on the Square” event. Neal was on the square in New Windsor collecting can goods and coats for the New Windsor Food Pantry from 9am to 5pm, Saturday, November 21, 2020. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Carroll County Times)

“It was just a great feeling,” said Roop, who praised the volunteers who helped Saturday and thanked everyone who donated. “The weather couldn’t have been any better.”