Loaves & Fishes welcomes bottled water, prepares for Letter Carrier Food Drive

Above / Cadence Premier Logistics VP Scott Cedar, Cadence Driver Ray Tirado, Loaves & Fishes VP of Operations Carey Gilkey, Loaves & Fishes volunteer Tom Wcisel and Loaves & Fishes Chad Craven exchanged words of appreciation after a generous donation delivered by Cadence Premiere Logistics was unloaded at Loaves & Fishes warehouse facility.

Timing is everything. Ask any comedian, cake baker, band leader or baseball player up at bat how the time-honored cliché makes a difference. Or ask the folks at Loaves & Fishes Community Services where approximately 1,500 volunteers give time every month to provide a well-stocked market for more than 800 families every week.

Thanks to the generosity of Rotarian Rocky Caylor, founder and CEO of Cadence Premier Logistics, a half-full 53-foot trailer containing five pallets of bottled water as well as other pallets with nonperishable food items, paper products, cleaning supplies, bedding and t-shirts was delivered to the warehouse facility for Loaves & Fishes Community Services early on Wed., May 2.

Caylor coordinated the donation on behalf of Rotary Club of Naperville Downtown, same as he did in early December when Cadence driver Ray Tirado first made a delivery to the nonprofit organization that aims to provide healthy food options in a dignified and respectful manner for families in need. That first visit was when Caylor learned Loaves and Fishes is under the leadership of another Rotarian Mike Havala, who also is a member of the Rotary club that meets at 4:44PM on most Wednesdays at Hugo’s Frog Pond.

More than once during the unloading of the large donation with tall pallets of bottled water, VP of Operations Cary Gilkey and longtime volunteers echoed that the delivery was a miracle. Timing could not have been better.

“I couldn’t believe all the pallets of water bottles when I saw them,” said Gilkey. “We really needed it.”

Just this week they had recognized the need to order and purchase bottled water for volunteers because their supply was way down, practically gone, said volunteer Tom Klann.

Plus, Klann explained that Loaves & Fishes will need extra bottled water next week for volunteers who come to help collect and sort nonperishable donations from the Letter Carrier Food Drive on Sat., May 12.

In addition, as one of the beneficiaries of the 22nd Annual Naperville Rotary Ride, volunteers from Loaves & Fishes will help staff one of the rest stops during the popular bike ride slated for Sun., Aug. 12. Some of the bottled water will be earmarked for that event, too.

As the community considers what types of nonperishables to donate to Loaves & Fishes, remember that bottled water also is an important need, short bottles and tall bottles.

Klann mentioned that mothers of young children request the short bottles because that’s what the schools want the kids to use when they bring bottled water to school.

Cadence driver Ray Tirado and VP of Planning and Development Scott Cedar also helped make the early morning delivery run smoothly.

Cadence VP Scott Cedar, L&F Carey Gilkey, Cadence Driver Ray Tirado, volunteers Tom Wcisel and Tom Klann, and L&F Chad Craven *took a breather after a large delivery found its place in the warehouse.*

“It was our privilege to be a small part in helping those in need,” said Caylor, when he was informed the mission had been accomplished. “I certainly remember many years ago being one who didn’t know what today would bring, let alone tomorrow.”

Sometimes when watching how things come together in Naperville, timing is perfect for making connections, too. Cheers!

FYI: The Annual Letter Carriers Food Drive is Sat., May 12, 2018. Residents are encouraged to place nonperishable items near their maiboxes early in the morning for pick up during the day. Nonperishable items needed at Loaves & Fishes with an emphasis on “healthful” are: Diapers Size 3, 4, or 5; Similac or Enfamil Baby Formula (powdered); Pasta sauces; Dry Pasta; Canned Food (Pineapple and Mandarin Oranges); Dried Fruit; Regular and Instant Oatmeal; Whole Grain Cereals; Low Salt Vegetables; and Grains and Brown Rice.