PORT ANGELES — Two service organization presidents in tuna can costumes danced and waved at the corner of Lincoln and Front streets while holding fishing nets and poles early Wednesday afternoon after losing bets in a tuna drive.
It was all in good fun.
The 22nd annual Community Tuna Drive, which ended April 6, collected a total of 19,026 cans of tuna for food banks in Port Angeles and Sequim.
Service clubs brought in 10,139 cans.
Bets were made between the two Soroptimist Clubs in Port Angeles and between two Rotary Clubs in Port Angeles on who would collect the most.
Soroptimist International of Port Angeles Jet Set members raised 1,078 cans of tuna, while the Soroptimist International of Port Angeles Noon Club brought in 1,075 cans.
“It was only by three cans,” said Tammy Gallagher, president of the Soroptimist Noon Club group, as she paraded in a costume.
Chris Clem, president of the Port Angeles Rotary Club, wore a tuna can costume along with Gallagher, while another person pointed a large arrow with the word “losers” at them.
Members of the Nor’wester Rotary collected 3,431 cans of tuna to Port Angeles Noon Rotary’s 3,016 cans.
Nor’wester won the Tuna Trophy for collecting the most cans of any other service club, while Port Angeles Noon Rotary won the Silver Tuna Award.
The Jet Set Soroptimists won the Bronze Tuna Award.
Also participating in the tuna drive were the Kiwanis Club of Port Angeles, the Kiwanis Club of Juan de Fuca, Port Angeles-Olympic Kiwanis and the Port Angeles Lions Club, said Tim Crowley, tuna drive chairman and a member of the Olympic Kiwanis Club.
Donations of 8,887 cans also came in from businesses, churches, schools and other groups, Crowley said.
First Federal collected 3,094 cans, while Haggen Food & Grocery won a trophy as the top supermarket, collecting 1,971 cans.
Safeway on Lincoln Street collected 1,56 cans.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
