Moonlighters want cooking oil

Cooking oil is the latest hot item needed at local food shelves.

And to help alleviate the strain on Community Pathways of Steele County, at least one service organization has launched a cooking oil drive throughout April.

Moonlighters Exchange Club in Owatonna is collecting jugs of cooking oil, which will be donated to Community Pathways in May. Any brand of cooking oil can be dropped off at the Steele County Times offices in Owatonna (109 W. Rose St.) or Blooming Prairie (411 E. Main St.). The oil will be turned over to the Moonlighters before it’s given to Community Pathways.

“This is the newest challenge for Community Pathways,” said Karen Hale, a member of Moonlighters and a board member of Community Pathways. “Dom (Korbel, director of Pathways) came a couple weeks ago and highlighted the oil shortage they are facing so we thought let’s do a drive.”

Community Pathways has been forced in recent weeks to limit the amount of oil it gives out to needy families, Hale said, adding the food shelf hates to put limitations on anything for families.

The Moonlighters group, Hale said, isn’t afraid to take part in efforts to benefit the greater community. “We like when people can benefit from things that we get behind,” she said.

There have been a few other drives the Moonlighters have done in recent years, including backpacks for foster children and birthday kits to hand out to families utilizing Community Pathways.

“We’re largely motivated by anything that helps children,” Hale said, adding the Exchange Club’s mission is to educate and support families and communities in the prevention of child abuse.

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Cooking Oil Drive

Who: Moonlighter’s Exchange Club

What: Drive to collect cooking oil for Community Pathways

Where: Drop off cooking oil at Steele County Times offices in Owatonna or Blooming Prairie

When: Throughout April

Why: Food shelf is experiencing cooking oil shortage

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