ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996                   TAG: 9605280059
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR 

CHARITY DRIVES HARVEST REWARDS

Giving isn't limited to the holiday season.

Two Roanoke Valley agencies that help the needy benefited this month from warm-weather drives for donations.

The Salvation Army Roanoke Corps raised $70,000 May 13-19, National Salvation Army Week. The agency devoted that week to raising enough money to make up a budget deficit resulting from increased need during the harsh winter.

Bell-ringers with kettles were dispatched and letters were mailed to 1,500 known supporters.

The kettles brought in $10,000; the mail campaign, $60,000, said Maj. Dan Delaney, corps commander. The Salvation Army had set a goal of $112,000 - $1,000 for each year the agency has been in Roanoke.

"I didn't know whether we'd get it or not," Delaney said. "If we got close, I would have been very happy. This will help us get through the summer."

The National Association of Letter Carriers' food drive May 11 brought in 41,000 pounds of food for the Southwest Virginia Second Harvest FoodBank in Roanoke. Postal customers were asked to leave nonperishable foods at their mailboxes. The food was collected during regular mail deliveries.

"We were down a little bit from last year," said Mike Hepler, special events manager at Second Harvest, "but we were happy to get what we got - a very good mix of products."

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