By Susan Carroll

Review Writer

Orion Neighborhood Television hosts its 8th Annual 5 or 5 Food Drive on Feb 10 benefitting the Oxford/Orion FISH food pantry.

The food drive is from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at ONTV Studio, located inside of the Orion Center, 1349 Joslyn Rd.

The 5 or 5 Food Drive welcomes anyone to bring in 5 food or toiletry items or donate $5 to the studio in exchange for one raffle ticket for each 5 or 5.

“So, if someone comes in and donates 5 pantry items they get one ticket and if someone donates $100, they will receive 20 raffle tickets,” said Tracy Marsh, administrative assistant for ONTV.

Pantry donations can be dropped off the week of Jan. 22 at collection locations throughout Lake Orion including: Simply Marcella, Northern Flooring, Revival Salon, Grondin’s Salon, Orion Township offices, Village of Lake Orion offices, Orion Township Library, Orion Center and ONTV.

Ian Locke, executive director at ONTV, started the 5 or 5 Food Drive eight years ago because at this time of year the shelves are the emptiest in the FISH pantry and he knew the community would support the program.

ONTV’s collection goal this year is to collect more than 6,000 pounds of food and toiletries. The ONTV Food drives have collected over 25,000 pounds of food for the hungry in the Lake Orion community.

“This year more businesses and schools are collecting for ONTV, plus day care centers, churches and the high school are holding food drives for us,” said Marsh.

Only donations taken directly to ONTV will receive raffle tickets. ONTV will continue to accept donations from Jan. 22 until 3:45 p.m. the day of the event.

Raffle tickets will be drawn every half hour during the live broadcast Saturday. Many area businesses are donating items to the raffle, such as oil changes, salons, home maintenance, gift certificates and “all kinds of stuff.” Raffle winners do not have to be present to win, Marsh said.

The public is invited to the studio to enjoy live music, entertainment and refreshments.

The 5 or 5 Food Drive can only accept non-perishable food and toiletries, but Marsh wanted to make the public aware that Oxford/Orion FISH now has the ability to accept refrigerated products such as dairy, eggs, meat and cheese.”

The food drive is broadcast live on ONTV’s Comcast Channels 10, 20 or 22, or AT&T’s Uverse Channel 99.

Viewers outside the Orion area can watch the event live online at www.orionONTV.org.

Contact ONTV at 248-693-3377 for more information on the event and collections. Information on Oxford/Orion FISH can be found at oxfordorionfish.org.