Thank you, Cleveland!

As 'Swing by and spray' reported first Thursday evening, the Cleveland Foodbank and Channel 3 Food Drive surpassed all expectations!

The Foodbank people say they believe this was the largest one-day food drive in this area!

The final tally stands at over 10,000 pounds of food collected along with $4000. Foodbank personnel estimate that figure equalling between 21,000 and 23,000 meals for those in need in Northeast Ohio.

I've said this in previous 'Hidden Gem' features but it needs repeating. Clevelanders have the biggest hearts and are most charitable, even in supposed rough economic times!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Those two words just don't seem to encapsulate the genuine feeling, but it is heartfelt.

Cleveland IS the best city in the world! I am so very proud to live here with such wonderful people!

Food Drive day!

9:25pm THIS JUST IN!!!!

You are hearing it here first, folks! The Cleveland Foodbank folks have tallied and weighed all of the food collected during today's food drive. Drum roll please: More than 10,000 pounds of food was collected and over $2500 dollars raised...which will supply over 17,000 meals to the folks of Northeast Ohio! The Foodbank says today's event exceeded all expectations. We have no one to thank but YOU, the kind, giving people of Northeast Ohio! We here at Channel 3 thank you from the bottom of our hearts! You came through once again!

5:30pm It's here! It has been a smashing success all day long from the 5:30am kickoff outside of the Channel 3 Studios!

We still have a few hours to go (at this writing) but I do want to thank all of our viewers who have stopped by to drop off canned goods or money.

I had a blast working the food drive between 2pm and 3pm. What a hoot! It was really a great time meeting some of our customers and hearing their stories! There are so many caring Clevelanders who pulled up to offer their help with this great cause. And it was fun being able to spend quality time with some of my co-workers 'away from my post.'

The weather has held up beautifully. Later in the day the chill started creeping up (chasing a few of my fellow on-air comrades who shall remain nameless back inside)!!!!

Such a festive day inside and out. It would be great if they were all like this.

And then right around 515pm, BFD blues band started wowing the audience with their rockin' style! A great addition to our afternoon craziness--jammin' while we work!!!!

Please tune into our 6pm and 7pm news shows tonight for live interviews, reports and progress reports on the Cleveland Foodbank and WKYC food drive.

Stay tuned for updates and thanks again for all of your help and support on this great cause!