Otter Tail County, Minnesota (WDAY TV) – Ottertail’s Thumper Pond is a place for chip-shots, hooks and summer slices, but this weekend, it will host an effort to help food pantries there swamped with people facing recent layoffs in otter tail county.

Both Lund Boats and Banner Engineering let people go, and now those workers are in need of the basics. Ellen Knudsen has seen the faces of laid off workers and their families coming into her Fergus Falls food shelf.

“Some days we see 43 families.”
RELATED CONTENT
Video Icon Food pantry crunch

All around Otter Tail County food shelves are witnessing a jump in business-after Lund Boats and Banner Engineering laid off workers.

“It tells you they can’t make ends meet, they just can’t and they really, we are a last resort and it is a pride thing.”

When area churches started this food pantry back in 1983, it served 20 families. Times have changed and now more than 3000 families were served last year.

Chad Jacobson just lost his job of 18-years. He knows the cost of groceries can eat up emergency savings.

“I spend 100 dollars a week just on groceries.”

A group of concerned families around Otter Tail County this weekend will host a big bash at Thumper Pond to raise money for these pantries, now serving everyone’s neighbor or the person sitting next to them in church.

“Increase in our calls for food pantries, heat assistance, rent assistance-basic needs.”

A safety net for those families that never dreamed this would be the winter the economy and layoffs would force them to ask for a helping hand. It is being called friends of friends, a way to raise money for the pantries serving the laid off workers. The dinner, dance and auction will be held this Saturday night at Thumper Pond in Otter Tail. It starts at six.