Holiday Can-A-Thon under way today at State Mutual Stadium

Media release: The Salvation Army is excited about the 2012
Holiday Can-A-Thon. This is the biggest food drive for the local non-profit
and it provides 80-90% of the food given out through its' programs. Captain
McClure says, "Last year, The Salvation Army provided 893 food orders and
fed 14,000 people through its' nightly feeding program. This represents
over 20,000 people helped in this area alone." Since this September, the
Rome Salvation Army's food pantry has been empty and they really count on
the can-a-thon to get them through the year.

Mrs. Sandra Deal will be making an appearance at this year's can-a-thon
from 8:30a-9:15a. Mrs. Deal is the honorary Christmas chairman for The
Salvation Army in the state of Georgia.

"Our long running partners, the Rome city schools and the Floyd county
schools, are what really make this event what it is," said McClure. The
local non-profit also wants the people in Rome to know that all of the
canned food raised during the can-a-thon, and all year long, stays here in
the Rome area. It is all distributed from The Salvation Army on 2nd Avenue.
Since 1887, The Salvation Army has been serving this area. Captain McClure
stated, "We have been here for 125 years and we are not going anywhere! We
are going to continue Doing the Most Good by meeting human needs in the
name of Christ without discrimation."

The holiday can-a-thon is in its' 30th year of partnership with WXIA 11
Alive.

WHAT: 2012 Holiday Can-a-thon
WHERE: State Mutual Stadium; Braves Boulevard Northeast; Rome, GA 30161‎
WHEN: 6a-12p
WHY: To raise the food that The Salvation Army uses year-round in the
greater Rome, GA area