Robert Allen

Robert Allen, president of the Newton County Food Basket Brigade, speaks to Neosho High School students during a canned food drive recently. Allen and Lewis Cole, vice president, have stepped down from their posts, and Larry Johnson and Terry Cook have been named as leaders of the effort.
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Robert Allen and Lewis Cole, president and vice president respectively, have stepped down.
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"It has been a reward and it has been a challenge," Allen said.
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"We have streamlined the registration, we have streamlined the way people come and go through the lines, the way to get the homebound so it gets along a lot quicker, we have worked on the outline areas so we get that done on Friday now, we have started to pick up food in the outlining areas at schools and businesses," Allen said.
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"Robert Allen talked me into it," Johnson added with a laugh.
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"I have known Robert for a long time.
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"It was made so by the cooperation of all of the people in Newton County," said Allen.

"When they go through, they hold up a number and that tells them that there's one in the family, there's two or three or four, and then that determines the amount of food that they get," says Robert Allen, the President of the Food Basket Brigade.

Allen, Cole step down as Food Basket Brigade leaders
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Robert Allen and Lewis Cole have stepped down as president and vice president of the Newton County Food Basket Brigade, respectively.
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As a new president and vice president step into the Newton County Food Basket Brigade, Robert Allen and Lewis Cole are leaving their respective posts.
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"I remember hearing about the event on the radio (KBTN), when I was going to South Elementary School and that they were collecting food for the basket brigade," Allen said, who was the school's principal.
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"(Within the leadership role), we just tie all of the loose ends together," Allen said. "We just kept things going, working with the committee chairs."

One of Cole's main projects as vice president was collecting the canned food students provided from the schools.

Both Cole and Allen have cherished moments during the basket brigade.
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Asked why they decided to step aside, Allen said, "we have been at it for a long time and one of the things that I think we need is new blood."
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"Robert and I have talked about it for some time and we said 'when one goes, we both go.' I think that the two fellows that are going to take it over the reins, I think that they will do a fine job. I will help whatever they want me to do."

Even though Allen and Cole have stepped aside, they still will be helping out the faithful cause.
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"We will still volunteer with the brigade," said Allen.

Adding to his comments, Robert Allen, the brigade's president said five records occurred.

"No. 1, we got the most enrollees that we have ever had — 1,150," Allen said. "No.

"We are needing some volunteers," said Robert Allen, the brigade's president. "We need volunteers on Friday and on Saturday."

For Friday's stage, Allen is asking volunteers to come into the armory at 1:30 p.m., where they will be getting the outbound food orders ready to send out.

"We are going to do the outbound area to get the food ready for Granby, Diamond and Fairview," Allen said. "Representatives will come by and pick it up in bulk and take it back to their area. There they will divide it up and deliver the baskets to the recipients."

Starting at 6:45 a.m. Saturday, volunteers are needed to help out with preparing the food for the homebound.

"We have 1,148 families that will receive food this year," Allen said.
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Allen said there were a couple of reasons for the upswing in the number of applicants.

"I think that the main thing is that there were a lot of people affected by the May 10 tornado," he said. "Then the layoffs (in the area).
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Allen emphasized that with that (and other donations) the goal of the 100,000 pounds of food, was met.

"We just cant emphasize enough that the support that we have gotten from the community, schools and businesses and individuals on the monetary and the successful city wide pickup," Allen said.

Any money, which was donated, also helps to purchase food.

"As far as our monetary goal, we are over $30,000," said Allen.

And there is still time to donate.

"We will take anything until Thursday," said Allen. "Money and food can be taken to the armory."

According to Newton County Food Basket Brigade President Robert Allen, the goal of 1,100 families to receive the food has been surpassed.

"We now have 1,148 families," Allen said. "We are around $30,000 that has been donated to us (from individuals and businesses)."

Allen was impressed with the amount of non-perishable food collected.

"It is doing really, really well," Allen said in the first hour of collections.
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"We will take anything until Friday, Dec. 19," said Allen. "Money and food can be taken to the Armory."

In 2007, food baskets — actually several sacks of food — was distributed to 907 families representing more than 3,400 people.

According to Newton County Food Basket Brigade President Robert Allen, "signups for the baskets will begin on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Neosho Help Center, located just off of the Neosho Square.