ANDREW COYLE, left, and his brother John Paul Coyle delivered donations collected during the annual John Coyle Memorial Food Drive to the Food Pantry for Woodford County Jan. 10. John Paul said his dad would be “extremely proud and humbled” that the community donated almost 400 pounds of food and over $10,000 in his memory. (Photo submitted)
Woodford Countians donated almost 400 pounds of food and over $10,000 in memory of former Judge-Executive John Coyle during the annual food drive organized in his honor, son John Paul Coyle told the Sun. John Paul said he and his family “were absolutely blown away by the $10,000 – absolutely blown away.”
The dollar donations have steadily climbed since family friend Connie Weber Sutherland organized the first John Coyle Memorial Food Drive eight years ago, according to John Paul, who serves as treasurer on the Food Pantry for Woodford County Board. He and his brother Andrew, who serves as vice president of the nonprofit’s board, delivered the donations to the food pantry on Saturday, Jan. 10.
The brothers collected the donations on Dec. 30 – their dad’s birthday. “I was thinking about him,” said John Paul. “… It’s a nice way for me … to remember him.”
Because the Food Pantry for Woodford County was a special place to his dad because of its mission to feed families facing food insecurity, John Paul said his dad would be “extremely proud and humbled” by the community’s response to this need.
With the cost of food rising for everybody, “they’re still answering the call to help those most in need,” said John Paul. He said dollar donations offer flexibility so the food pantry can purchase whatever is needed, including turkeys for Thanksgiving.
“If the food pantry can help in any way to get families together around a table, around a shared meal,” said John Paul, “I think that’s just special because … Dad loved to cook dinners.” John Coyle enjoyed nothing more than having his four sons and their families share a meal together each week.
“Just spending time around the kitchen table – that’s what he wanted to do,” said son John Paul.