CLIFTON — Introduced by Rotarian Calvin Rueter, Dr. Jerry Smith of the Clifton Ministerial Alliance spoke to the Bosque County (Clifton) Rotary Club on Thursday about not only the food drive on Friday, Nov. 20, but also about the financial needs of the alliance that are critical to helping local families.

Dr. Smith exlained that the alliance spent approximately $10,000 in aid, alone, during the past seven to eight months, helping people with their electric bills, water, bills, propane and gas bills, and rent.

“We’ve actually been out of money for the last three weeks,” said  Smith. “I’ve not seen the need as great as it is right now.”

Not only does the alliance support the Clifton Food Bank, but it helps families with other necessities, works with law enforcement during accidents and domestic violence situations, supports the school’s Fifth Quarter events, helps with burial expenses, medical expenses and transportation, and also supports Mission Clifton.

Dr. Smith talked about the Food For Families drive being held Friday, and noted that during the first food drive 18-19 years ago, only 3,500 pounds of food was collected, but in recent years the total has come closer to 30,000. The top drive in recent years was in 2006, when 32,500 pounds was collected.

Always needed at the food bank are staples such flour, sugar, cornmeal, and canned meat.

“These items, especially the canned meat, are getting more and more expensive all the time, and the food bank runs out quickly,” said Smith. He explained that the food bank does not have any refrigeration, so staples such as milk, cheese, and other dairy and bread products cannot be held. However, he said that Brookshire’s Supermarket has started a program wherein people can purchase cards ($10) that can be used for these items.

“When we have to purchase food for the bank, we buy locally, giving back to the community,” said Smith.

The food bank supplies 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of food each month to people in the Clifton area, and though the annual November drive used to reap an accumulation lasting until April or May, the food bank’s supply ran out last year in February.

“The need is 20-30-percent higher this year than last year, so we are truly hoping for a huge turnout tomorrow,” added Smith.

The food drive is handled by as many as 70 volunteers from churches, local organizations, the Scouts, and of course, the National Guard and First National Bank of Bosque County, which has been the collection point since the beginning.

“They have been good to us all these years, and tomorrow, when it is supposed to be raining, we’ll at least have a roof over our heads,” he added.

He spoke about Darel Terral and Ted Jones at the high school, and all the support they have given towards the drive, as well as the 1,000 pounds that was collected at the Hilburn Insurance barbecue last weekend.

At the meeting, Smith urged everyone to do all they can during the food drive, and for those wishing to donate to the aid program of the Ministerial Alliance, checks can be made out the Ministerial Alliance, marked for aid.

Following the weekly meeting, many of the Rotary Club members went out east on Hwy. 219 to pick up trash along a two-mile stretch of highway.