(Atlantic) The annual Scrooge Contest in Atlantic is set to return on November 1, 2024. Organized by the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce and benefiting the Atlantic Food Pantry, the contest encourages local residents and businesses to come together to support their neighbors in need. The need has never been greater.
Brad Osborne with the Atlantic Food Pantry said in 2019, they averaged 24 households and 53 individuals per week being served. Today, they are averaging 72 households and 216 individuals. That’s over a 400% increase.
The Scrooge Contest, which began in 2001 and was initially organized by Eleanor Hoover, has a rich history of giving. Financial records from the past eight years show that the contest has raised over $154,150 and collected 29,230 food items for the food pantry, providing vital assistance to those struggling with food insecurity.
This year’s candidates for the Scrooge title include:
- Randy & Michelle Roy (Randy’s Computer)
- Graydon Schmidt (Schmidt Family Funeral Homes)
- Jeremiah Thompson (Landus/Atlantic Fire Dept)
- Ben Winford (New Life Church)
The contest operates on a points-based system where food item donations earn 1 point per item, and monetary donations are highly encouraged, with each $1 donation counting as 5 points. The candidate who accumulates the most points by the end of the contest on November 26 will be named the Scrooge 2024 winner and will serve as the Grand Marshal of the Lighted Parade, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 7.
