Cram the Cruiser Collects 2,780 Pounds of Food, More Than $800 for Ashland County Families
ASHLAND, Ohio — Ashland County residents donated 2,780 pounds of nonperishable food and more than $800 during the annual Cram the Cruiser food drive Sunday, November 1, 2026, helping Associated Charities serve local families as the holidays approach.
Troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Ashland Post hosted the collection from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ashland Walmart, 1996 E. Main St. All donations were delivered to Associated Charities of Ashland County on Monday, November 2, according to Sgt. Daniel Kumor, assistant post commander.
In a Facebook post celebrating the collection, Associated Charities / Ashland County Food Bank thanked Kumor, the troopers from Ashland Patrol Post 03, shoppers and volunteers for supporting its mission of caring for those in need.
“We are community helping community and this proves exactly how truly special Ashland is,” the organization wrote.
Associated Charities also recognized volunteers who unloaded the van and sorted the donations in record time, adding a lighthearted acknowledgment that Missy and Luca supervised their work.
Although the organization described this year’s collection as record-breaking in its post, the reported food total was below the 4,202 pounds collected in 2025. Cash contributions increased from last year’s $645 to more than $800.
The 2025 drive narrowly surpassed the 2024 food total of 4,200 pounds. In an interview following last year’s event, Kumor recalled troopers making an extra trip into Walmart to purchase enough food to push the collection past the previous record.
“None of this would have happened without the great people of Ashland County,” Kumor said in 2025. “They are so generous every year, and we are so grateful.”
That generosity has sustained the annual collection for years:
Year, Food collected, Cash donations
2018 2,800 pounds —
2019 2,380 pounds —
2020 2,460 pounds —
2021 3,080 pounds —
2022 3,280 pounds $455
2023 3,420 pounds $2,189.25
2024 4,200 pounds $1,362.87
2025 4,202 pounds $645
2026 2,780 pounds More than $800
This year’s event again combined the donation drive with a look at Highway Patrol history. Retired Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Dale LaRue and the Greater Cleveland Police Museum brought cruisers representing several eras for visitors to view.
Students from Ashland University’s Criminal Justice Club also helped, continuing the club’s involvement in the annual community effort.
The drive requested pantry staples and household necessities, including canned meats, cereal, pasta, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, toilet paper, dish soap and hygiene products.
Speaking after the 2025 collection, Associated Charities Executive Director Christine Box emphasized how much the annual support means to the organization.
“Year after year, our community supports this event tremendously,” Box said at the time.
This year, that support delivered another substantial collection of food and financial assistance to help Ashland County neighbors in need.
Pohto’s courtesy of Associated Charities / Ashland County Food Bank
