Feeding the needy

From left, Francene and Gary Payne help Dan Keen from the Mountain Home Post Office load donated food into a trailer during the U.S. Post Office's 20th Annual Letter Carriers Food Drive across America event on Saturday.

Local postal workers collected 9,015 pounds of canned goods and non-perishable food during this year's effort -- more than 1,000 pounds compared to last year's figures.

Donations were collected as the local postal workers ran their normal routes across the city that day with proceeds benefitting the El-Ada Community Action Agency and Grace Lutheran Food Pantry.