A Successful 14th Year for Camping for Hunger
For the 14th consecutive year, The River 95.3/WZRV hosted ‘Camping for Hunger’ the week before Thanksgiving to raise food, monetary donations, and awareness of hunger in the northern Shenandoah Valley. All money and donations are directed to C-CAP in Front Royal/Warren County. 2022 donation totals exceeded expectations for the year, with over 14,000 pounds of food donated and nearly $17,000 in cash.
With the need ever-increasing, those totals will greatly assist C-CAP’s pantry program. The cash donations alone equate to nearly 40,000 meals and cover six months’
worth of need, according to C-CAP Executive Director Larry Elliot. On-Air personalities Lonnie Hill, Randy Woodward, and Scott Bradley along with station owner
Andrew Shearer and other staff members all slept on the bus this year and broadcast live the entire week from the parking lot of the Royal Plaza Shopping Center in Front Royal. During the week-long campout event, The River 95.3 broadcast sought community support and donations for Front Royal/Warren County C-CAP’s food pantry. An on-line donation link direct to C-CAP, a 501-c (3) non-profit, was also provided. The link continues to be available via C-CAP’s website.
Royal Broadcasting President, Andrew Shearer commented, “For 14 years now, this community has proven it supports its own. We’re merely the conduit for the great work individuals and businesses do in support of this mission. I’m truly humbled that we can be a part of it.” Since 2008, food donations have totaled over 190,000 pounds, with monetary/gift card donations nearing $125,000. Community organization support comes from the Front Royal Police, Warren County Fire & Rescue,
Royal Plaza Shopping Center, CenturyLink, and C-CAP. Numerous local companies and community groups host in-house food drives to help grow the totals and all donations stay local.
The River 95.3/WZRV is committed to serving the community through direct-involvement events, programs and activities. For more information, contact the station: 540-635-4121; email: andrew@royalbroadcasting.net or visit http://theriver953.com/campingforhunger/
Turkey Bowl Revisited
Greetings From The Booth!
As this is Thanksgiving week, I hope we all take a moment and reflect on the things for which we are truly thankful. We at Royal Broadcasting recently finished our annual Camping For Hunger week-long food drive. In a challenging economy, this year’s CFH raised over 14-thousand pounds of food and about $17 thousand in monetary donations for Front Royal-Warren County C-CAP, and this would not have happened without the generosity of the community. Helping to unload all of that food from the Camping For Hunger Bus Saturday was a humbling an awesome experience, and made me even more thankful for my Thanksgiving meal.
As I write this post, several of our area high school football teams are still alive in the VHSL playoffs, and play in regional championship games tonight (Friday 11-25). The 2b title will go to either Strasburg or Central in what should be a great game. In a Class 3 regional championship game, the Warren County Wildcats have a tough task as they head to Nokesville to take on the talented Tigers. On paper, Brentsville looks like the prohibitive favorite but the games aren’t played on paper.
Thanksgiving always takes me back to a time when I was younger, faster, and less breakable. Like many weekend warriors across the USA, I always participated in a “Turkey Bowl” football game back in the day. For me, that game was usually played on the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend, and almost always at the Rosemont School lot in Martinsburg (WV). I had the honor of being the captain of “Woodward’s Skins,” while our opponent was a team led by Todd Lyons, aptly named “Lyon’s Lions.” After all, it’s tradition that the Lions play on Thanksgiving, right?
Like any athletic field, ours had it’s unique qualities. The Rosemont lot ran adjacent to a blacktop playground, so “asphalt rash” was not unusual in one of our Turkey Bowl games. And, although two-hand tag was the preferred style of play, hard hitting was not ruled out. After a full afternoon of football, we left those games muddy, sometimes bloody, but full of memories that have filled the years.
At some point we all got old–I’m not sure exactly when that was–and the Turkey Bowls were just something remembered in group texts and phone calls as we all went our separate ways. But there are times when, as the saying goes, “my mind writes checks my body can’t cash,” and I’m pretty sure I can hit Kevin Funkhouser with a perfect spiral as he runs a fly pattern along the row of pine trees…
If you’re still fortunate to be able to play in your own Turkey Bowl, savor the time…it’s all too fleeting.
Until the next visit from The Booth, Happy Thanksgiving!
RW
News Maker Joanne Koszyk on final figures from CFH
The donations collected at the bus itself from the week of Camping For Hunger (CFH) have been calculated.
We spoke with the Executive Director of the Congregational Community Action Project (C-CAP) Joanne Koszyk in our latest news maker.
News makers are brought to you by Warren County Together We are Community.
Joanne gives us the final numbers from the week on the CFH bus.
She also expresses her and all of C-CAP’s gratitude for a tremendous community effort.
Joanne also explains that donations are still being accepted here.
The River 953 and Fox Sports Radio 1450 owner staff and management are also very grateful for the Community support of the annual week long CFH campaign again this year.
Click here for Joanne’s news maker.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
News Maker Joanne Koszyk on C-Cap’s new facility
Front Royal Warren County Congregational Community Action Project (C-Cap) has a ribbon cutting Nov. 11 at noon at their new facility at 400 Kendrick Lane.
We spoke to C-Cap’s Executive Director Joanne Koszyk about the new facility in our latest news maker.
News makers are brought to you by Warren County Together We are Community.
Joanne tells us the soft opening of the facility was highly successful.
She also tells us what is already available at the new location and what is coming for those in need in the community.
Joanne also tells us that the new building offers more room than ever before for the annual Camping for Hunger campaign.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

News Makers Jean and Jennifer on RPSC support for C4H
The collection of nonperishable foods in support of The River 953 Camping for Hunger (C4H) campaign is in progress at The Royal Plaza Shopping Center (RPSC).
We spoke with Jennifer Nicholson of Jennerations Hair Studio and Spa and Jean Plauger of Jean’s Jewelers about it in our latest news maker.
News makers are brought to you by Warren County Together We are Community.
The ladies tell us there are several stores in the RPSC behind the collection of nonperishable foods for C4H.
In fact a number of merchants are offering some incentives to donate as often as you can.
The C4H campaign will support C-Cap of Front Royal Warren County to feed those in need in our community.
Click here for Jean and Jennifer’s interview.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
News Makers Jean and Jennifer on RPSC support for C4H
The collection of nonperishable foods in support of The River 953 Camping for Hunger (C4H) campaign is in progress at The Royal Plaza Shopping Center (RPSC).
We spoke with Jennifer Nicholson of Jennerations Hair Studio and Spa and Jean Plauger of Jean’s Jewelers about it in our latest news maker.
News makers are brought to you by Warren County Together We are Community.
The ladies tell us there are several stores in the RPSC behind the collection of nonperishable foods for C4H.
In fact a number of merchants are offering some incentives to donate as often as you can.
The C4H campaign will support C-Cap of Front Royal Warren County to feed those in need in our community.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

News Maker George Rutter on your help with Camping for Hunger
Former Front Royal Warren County Congregational Community Action Project (C-Cap) President George Rutter wanted to thank the community for it’s support of Camping for Hunger.
We spoke to George about that in our latest news maker segment.
The good news is brought to you by The Town of Front Royal.
George expressed his thanks and a happy holiday wish to you from C-Cap.
George also expressed sadness on the passing of a valued volunteer recently.
Click here for George’s interview.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
News Maker Joanne Koszyk on Camping for Hunger numbers
Preliminary numbers are in for the 13 annual Camping for Hunger Campaign.
We say preliminary because what is on the bus continues to grow as drop off locations are still bringing in your donations.
Those donations will add to the 8 tons of food that you donated that is already on the bus.
Along with that over $12,000 have been donated to help Congregational Community Action Project (C-Cap) help those in need.
We spoke to C-Cap Executive Director Joanne Koszyk about this tremendous community effort in our latest news maker.
The good news is brought to you by the town of Front Royal.
Joanne is so thankful for the effort you put out to help in Camping for Hunger.
We here at the River are grateful and thankful to all of you for your support of this community effort.
It means so much to thousands.
Click here for Joanne’s interview.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Camping for Hunger totals
We have exceeded last years totals thanks to so many people who donated to make
this all possible. Reaching over 12 thousand in monetary donations as well as 8 tons of food.
We would not have been able to do this without each and every one of you.
Thank you so very much for your heart warming donations.
We truly live in an amazing community.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
News Maker Robbie Seal on Camping for Hunger donations
Camping for Hunger is wrapping up as drop off locations trickle in with your donations.
Yesterday Nov. 22 Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy Robbie Seal dropped off what he collected at the various trash convenience sites last week.
We spoke to Robbie about the success of the effort in our latest News Maker.
The good news is brought to you by the town of Front Royal.
Robbie spoke on how grateful he and Warren County Sheriff Butler were on your support of the effort.
Robbie also told us some ideas on how to make next year’s Camping for Hunger even more effective and productive.
Your efforts will feed thousands in Warren County through the Congregational Community Action Project (C-Cap).
Thank you for your support of Camping for Hunger.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
