With school back in session preparing for winter moves to the front of most Alaskans priority list this time of year. In a successful effort to be sure no one goes hungry this winter over 300 folks attended the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank's 16th Annual Soup Supper.

A friendly competition between the Kenai's District Attorney's Office and the Public Defender Agency helped people in need this holiday season. The two offices, which generally compete toe-to-toe at the Kenai Courthouse, collected food last week as part of a private food drive. The public defenders won the competition, donating 1,547 pounds of canned and dried foods. The district attorneys donated 978 pounds of food. Assistant district attorney Angela Garay started the food drive after speaking with her mother who volunteers at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank.

For years, people have been able to make a midday stop at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank for a hot and hearty meal, and recently the decor of the establishment was changed to be equally warm and inviting.

Refuge hosts Fun Day

With Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's on the way, so too are candy, pies, cookies and eggnog, but an upcoming series of nutritional classes may offer some still sweet, but healthier alternatives to eat during the holiday season.

Regardless of religious or non-religious preferences this is the season of sharing, giving and helping all to have a warm and happy holiday season. The Kenai Peninsula Food Bank is a hub for helping those in need of food through out the year and especially during the holiday season. According to executive director of the Food Bank Linda Swarner they?ve been doing well with high school and local business canned food drives but have run short of turkeys, ?As of Tuesday the 18th we were totally out of turkeys, so we were very happy to receive the check from the Soldotna Police Officers and we?ll be using their donation to buy turkeys for the freezer,? said Swarner.

...Saturday, but we don't have anyone signed up to put together sculptures yet," said Linda Swarner, exective director of the food bank. Swarner said businesses, organizations, families, schools, churches and youth groups are all welcome to...