SRO Vern Jefferson and Army Recruiter Sgt. Ernie Perez in the rain, collecting donations. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO.

Rain was coming down icey spurts to freeze on the cold pavement. If you didn’t have to be out, you weren’t out, unless you were SRO Vern Jefferson and Army recruiter Sgt. Ernie Perez. The two came on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 14, braving inclement weather to host the annual food drive. The duo received fewer donations than Vern’s previous food drive, but as Vern himself says, “Anything helps.” Sgt. Perez also provided the drive with multiple donations on behalf of the Army.

Vern and Sgt. Perez froze their donated buns in the rain collecting donations along with Toledo Police Chief Dan Quigley who stopped by to help that Saturday morning. If you were wanting to help with the food drive, but the weather put a stop to your plans, wait a few months. Vern is already planning another food drive, this time in the, hopefully, warmer time of March or April. Or whenever the feeling comes back to his fingers.