presenting donation check
FROM LEFT: Bernie Adorino, Parade Food Drive Co-Chair and President of Adorino Construction; Chris Hoke, Co-Chair Parade Food Drive; Frank Cagnina, St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee Representative; and Mike Pilat, Director of Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen. Photo by Jenny of St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Utica collected 1,000 food tiems and $2,000 in donations for Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen.

Parade Food Drive Co-Chair Chris Hoke noted: “More than half the food was donated by Notre Dame Elementary School, which hosts a St. Patrick’s Day Food Drive the week before the Parade— and they really get into it!!”

Adorino Construction owner Bernie Adorino, the other co-chair, and his employees collected the food and cash donations along the parade route on Genesee Street, working with Notre Dame High School students.

This was the 18th year for the parade food drive, and new this year was the use of a QR Code on posters that parade spectators could scan with their smart phones to made a donation.

Chris broke down the monetary donations as follows:
In-Parade Donations—$1020
QR Code Donations—$370
Chris’s Extra Donations—$150
Bernie’s Extra Donations—$460
Grand Total———————$2000