Brian Varela / Petersburg Pilot

Hammer & Wikan Grocery Store, Petersburg-Wrangell Insurance and the Salvation Army started their third annual food drive this week. Shoppers at Hammer & Wikan Grocery Store can pick up paper bags valued at $15 and $25 and purchase them when they check out. Each bag will be used to purchase dry and canned goods that will be donated to the Salvation Army. The food will be used to put together a Christmas basket for less fortunate families this Christmas. Hammer & Wikan Grocery orders the food requested by the Salvation Army for the basket and then sells the food at cost, according to Katie Eddy with Petersburg-Wrangell Insurance. One hundred percent of donations collected go towards purchasing the food for the Christmas baskets. Last year, 200 bags were purchased with each bag approximately filling one basket. "Each year has been really successful in reaching a large number of families, to give them their Christmas dinner," said Eddy.