How to go
The Sugarcreek Twp. Farmers’ Market is open Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m.
It is located on the north side of Feedwire Road just east of PetSmart and Target, east of Wilmington Pike.
The Sugarcreek Twp. Police Department sets up a collection site at the market at around 7 every two weeks to collect produce and baked goods for families in need. The next collection day is Friday, July 30.
SUGARCREEK TWP., Greene County — Rene Sutton of Berryhill Farm in Xenia came bearing a bag of green beans, a ripe bell pepper and a big red tomato.
Julie Smith of Hawks Run Farm in Morrow brought fresh baked goods, cookies, bread and sugar cookie pops on a stick for kids.
Trenton Landes, 9, of National Trail Family Farm in Eldorado, whose mom bakes wonderfully moist ginger snaps to sell along with eggs and other produce from their farm, brought several loaves of home-baked bread and cinnamon rolls.
It was the end of day, around 7 p.m., for the Sugarcreek Twp. Farmers’ Market on Friday, July 16.
The vendors at the market on Feedwire Road, just east of PetSmart and Target, were putting away what wasn’t sold or taking it to a red pickup truck nearby. The sign on the side of the truck read: “Sugarcreek Township, Ohio, Police Department Market Produce Collection Site for the Greene County Family Resource Center.”
A second sign read: “Thank You! For Sharing with the area families in need.”
Sugarcreek Twp. Police Chief Gil Flick and Sugarcreek Detective Sgt. Brian Deckard were out of uniform, enjoying the market.
They volunteered their help in a project started by the police department last year with the help of Bellbrook United Methodist Church.
“We’re trying to stretch the cans of non-perishables for the Family Resource Center,” Flick said. “If they have fresh produce, the cans will go farther.”
Every two weeks, police department volunteers come at closing time to pick up donated items. These will be dropped off at Bellbrook United Methodist Church.
The church’s men’s group and other volunteers make sure they are distributed to families in need through Susan Lopez of the Family Resource Center in Bellbrook.
Cantaloupes, eggs, baked goods, boxes of tomatoes, bags of sweet corn, including 20 dozen ears donated by farmer Jerry Lucas, who sells from a stand by the Walgreens on Wilmington Pike, were donated July 16.
“This is the first time I’ve donated,” Sutton said. “I didn’t know about it. I will do it again.”
Smith said it was her and her sister Kelly’s first day selling at the market. “We love it. I just think it’s great,” she said.
More than 70 people were helped through the collection event, said Cara KillKelley, the township planner/zoning official.
“You see how generous the folks are,” Flick said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2341 or kullmer@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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