Evelyn Browne, who organized It's Spooky to be Hungry eight years ago, is the national winner of The Dannon Company's Families Feeding America. She'll receive $10,000 for her chosen charity, Golden Harvest, plus $1,000 to spend on groceries. She plans to give the $1,000 to Golden Harvest, too.

"I was so honored and thrilled to receive this because the $10,000 I can give Golden Harvest is just so wonderful," she said. "It's amazing that Dannon would make these kinds of funds available to recognize people who are just doing what they think is right, which is to try to work to help feed the hungry."

Dannon's contest - part of the company's 60th anniversary - recognizes people who donate their time to help the hungry. The company asked entrants to submit a 500-word essay, and officials chose a grand prize winner and four runners-up.

It's Spooky to be Hungry began in three Columbia County neighborhoods and has expanded throughout Richmond, Columbia and Aiken counties to Greenwood, Columbia and Summerville, S.C. Last year, volunteers gathered more than 35,000 pounds of food and raised $18,000 to benefit Golden Harvest Food Bank.

"Although I won the award personally, it really represents the incredibly wonderful volunteers that make up Spooky," Mrs. Browne said. "It's because of those volunteers that Spooky has been the success that it is."

This year, It's Spooky to be Hungry is part of the 12th Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 - sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine and its 600 carrier newspapers, including The Augusta Chronicle.

Reach Jason B. Smith at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 115, or jbsmith@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Saturday, October 19, 2002 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle