By PAIGE CARR

Staff writer

Mid-Kansas Cooperative’s sixth annual food drive this year is less about competition between sites to see which can generate the most donations, and more about honoring an employee who died unexpectedly Oct. 4.

Scott Alcorn lived in Marion, was a location service specialist at Peabody’s elevator, and had been with MKC for 20 years.

For three years before he died, Alcorn sold homemade baked goods in front of Pop’s Diner in Peabody, avoiding price tags to encourage donations.

He donated all proceeds to Peabody’s food bank, which helped place Peabody on top in a friendly competition between MKC sites to see which could collect the most.

“Peabody won last year because of all the money he raised,” location manager Chuck Knight said. “We won this year, too. Some places called and wanted to honor him. Everybody kind of pitched in and helped by bringing extra stuff here instead of their own location.”

One location in particular seemed to stand out.

“Walton brought a lot of stuff,” he said.

Knight fondly remembers Alcorn’s enthusiasm for the annual food drive and how talented he was at baking.

“It was big for him; he liked it,” Knight said. “He just got after it and got it done. He enjoyed doing it and helping people out in that regard.”

Peabody’s food bank is at the United Methodist church. Pastor Angela DeFisher said MKC’s donation in Alcorn’s honor filled the bank to the brim.

“They brought approximately 300 pounds of food,” she said. “They brought a lot of stuff that we don’t usually get--like flour and sugar.”

The food bank amenities is open to anyone who lives in Peabody. No financial information is taken.

“It’s open every second Saturday of the month from 10 to 11:30 a.m.,” she said.

The food bank serves 10 to 15 families monthly, DeFisher said.