A rainout for the Peninsula Oilers last Saturday means the 2nd Annual King of the River Food Drive competition is getting some extra time this year. The contest, pitting the cities of Kenai and Soldotna against one another in a bid to see which can bring more food to the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, will now conclude on July 26.
Originally, the friendly competition was scheduled to wrap up on July 11, with the winning city’s mayor throwing the ceremonial first pitch at the Penisula Oilers and Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks baseball game on Saturday, July 12. However, when that game was canceled due to rain over the weekend, the decision was made to send the contest into extra innings.
Last year, Soldotna won by bringing in 20,964.05 pounds, beating Kenai’s total of 16,820.95. Competition aside, the food bank celebrated the real victory, which was the combined 37,785 pounds of food for those suffering from hunger across the Kenai Peninsula.
According to Food Bank Executive Director Greg Meyer, the contest began in 2023 and is a joint project between the Food Bank and the Kenai Boys and Girls Club. “This was the brainchild of Jeff Dolifka and working with the Boys and Girls Club. So, it’s kind of been a collaborative effort.”
Food was donated at drop-off points spread across the two communities in the first annual contest, but Meyer says that will change this year. “The one thing we’re doing a little different this year is the drop-off sites are going to be the two chamber offices and the food bank…Last year, we did something out on the road, you know, [we] had the truck out in the community and different spots, and [this year] we decided it was more effective to center it around the two chamber buildings and at the food bank.”
Donations include non-perishable food and monetary donations to the food bank.
Not only do participants have an opportunity to give back to their community, but anyone who donates will be entered to win $1,000. The winner will be drawn at the Oilers game on July 12.
As of Tuesday, Kenai was in the lead, having contributed 24,771.65 pounds of food. Soldotna, despite having the lead in the contest’s early days, has brought in 19,655.75 pounds for a combined total of 44,427.4. That number has already eclipsed last year’s total by nearly 7,000 pounds.
Visit the event page on the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank website for information on the King of the River contest and how to become a sponsor.