Melinda’s famous cinnamon rolls raise $3,500 for Ozark County Food Pantry

Gainesville resident Melinda Abraham handed over more than $3,500 to the Ozark County Food Pantry Monday morning, the result of an online auction for her famous cinnamon rolls. Melinda posted a photo of three 9-inch by 13-inch pans of freshly baked cinnamon rolls on Saturday and announced that she was opening them up for auction, saying that any amount raised would be matched by her family and also by her sister Hope Hillhouse’s family. “Every dollar raised equals $3 to the food pantry!” she wrote in the post. Bidding opened around 1 p.m. Saturday, and by 9 a.m. Sunday, the three pans of cinnamon rolls had earned these winning bids: Chris Harlin, $450; John Turner, $400; and Lydia Donley, $375, totaling $1,225. “It all started because we were looking to donate some money, and this was a way to do that and make it grow even bigger,” Melinda told the Times Monday. “It was a lot of fun.” Melinda says area residents  will have another chance to take home a pan of the famous baked goods during the annual Lions Club Auction, which was originally set for April 17 but now will be rescheduled for sometime  later this year due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. “I’ll definitely still be making them for that,” Melinda said. “This was just kind of a bonus.” 

***

You can help the food pantry too! Local food drive to be held April 29

A special food drive for the Ozark County Food Pantry will be held Wednesday, April 29. Theodosia resident Debbie Daniel is spearheading the event after talking with Ozark County Health Department administrator Rhonda Suter about ways to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re going to have volunteers set up at all the Ozark County schools from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday,” Daniel said. 

In keeping with current social distancing protocol, there will be no contact. “Drive through the location of your choice and drop your non-perishable foods or checks made out to the Ozark County Food Pantry from your vehicle into a bucket held by a volunteer,” she said, adding that everyone who makes a donation that day will be entered into a drawing to win one of three prizes.

Collection sites will be set up at Lutie, Gainesville, Bakersfield, Dora and Thornfield schools. Those who can’t make it to one of the schools can mail a check, payable to Ozark County Food Pantry, to the Ozark County Health Department, P.O. Box 180, Gainesville, MO 65655. For more information about donating or volunteering on April 29, call Debbie Daniel at 913-940-1144.

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423