MARTIN SLOANE | Supermarket Shopper Everyone is a winner in Hunt's competition

Hunt's tomatoes is making an unusual offer to aid three national charities. Its parent company, ConAgra Foods, is inviting consumers to send in Hunt's tomatoes labels until Dec. 31 and tell Hunt's which charity they want their labels credited to.
The three charities are Children's Miracle Network, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and ConAgra Foods Feeding Children Better Foundation.
For those readers unfamiliar with ConAgra's foundation, over the last few years, it has donated more than $15 million to programs such as feeding needy children after school in places where they congregate such as boys and girls clubs.
By the end of this year it will have provided three-year start-up grants of $35,000 to more than 100 of these "Kids Cafes."
The ConAgra Foundation is also an important supporter of America's Second Harvest. Each label in Hunt's Labels for Charity program becomes a "vote" for that charity.
The charity that receives the most votes by Dec. 31 will receive a donation of $50,000. The second place winner will receive $25,000, and $10,000 goes to the third place charity in this unusual competition.
Kerri Sonenshine, Hunt's Associate Brand Manager, told me the promotion is intended to pay back the community for its ongoing support of Hunt's tomatoes and encourage consumers to enjoy more of them.
I asked why Hunts turned this into a competition: "We don't see it as a contest, because everyone wins," said Sonenshine.
Products
The qualifying labels are from these Hunt's products: tomato sauce; tomato paste; diced, whole, stewed or crushed tomatoes; puree; ketchup; BBQ Sauce; spaghetti sauce; and Hunt's Family Favorites. Send the labels to: Hunt's Label Saving for Charity Sweepstakes, 2967 Michelson Drive, G526, Irvine, Calif. 92612. Include your name, address, age, daytime phone number (optional) and designated charity (of the three participating). If you only want to enter the $10,000 sweepstakes, instead of the labels you can include a plain piece of 3-by-5-inch paper and handprint your information. All entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31.
My readers can find more information about the Hunt's labels for charities competition at the Hunt's Web site: www.hunts.com. Included in this information are links that will take you to each of the three charity's Web sites.
An interesting part of the promotion is the launch of the Hunt's Club. Consumers who send in three or more labels will become members. Kerri Sonenshine told me that club members will receive a "Welcome Package" in February that will include a variety of goodies.
Hubbard does it again!
Once again, the Supermarket Shopper Poetry Competition attracted several dozen entries from Susan Fischer's English classes at Hubbard High School in Hubbard. I hope my readers will enjoy a few stanzas from three of these poems.
Kristen Elj and Lisa Jugenhimer joined forces to describe taking a little brother to the supermarket:
I was sent to the supermarket one day
To get sugar for my mother.
I had one foot out the door,
When she said, "Don't forget your brother!"
We entered the store, and he ran away.
And he immediately knocked over a sample tray.
He pulled things off the shelves of aisle four
And I yelled, "Here comes the manager,
We won't be able to shop here anymore."
Mary Sivulich wrote these lines:
Now, don't tell my mom. I'll tell you a secret,
As long as you promise to keep it.
The supermarket is the perfect place for games and fun.
Just listen and I'll tell you how it is done.
First, there is the game of hide and seek .
Then you can play choose and sneak.
Don't forget the shopping cart races.
This store offers fun above all other places.
Joelle Quartini wrote these lines to describe his impression of a supermarket:
Bustling people, children crying.
Wilted lettuce, bananas dying.
Stocked shelves, busy aisles.
Familiar faces, friendly smiles.
The competition is pleased to award Honorable Mentions and an ice cream party for Sue and these four poets.
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United Feature Syndicate