PORTLAND, Maine — As cold weather arrives, people in the Greater Portland area are gearing up for the season of giving.
To give back to the community, dozens met up Saturday for an annual food drive with a twist, called "Cranksgiving."
Saturday's event was hosted in tandem by The Portland EnCyclePedia, Bicycle Coalition of Maine, and the Portland Gear Hub.
"Cranksgiving started in New York City 25 years ago and it's a grassroots, Thanksgiving-themed food drive," organizer Norman Patry said. "So everybody met here at 10:30 this morning. I came up with a list of six different stores they need to go to."
A scavenger hunt and food drive wrapped up into one, 35 cyclists peeled out of the Portland Gear Hub parking lot to find go-to essentials such as rice, canned goods, and peanut butter. All of the food collected will be donated to the Westbrook Food Pantry.
"You gotta bike around with them so it can get a little heavy with the canned goods," Anne Marisic of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine said. "Last year, we had at least nine or 10 really huge boxes of food, so it was a good turnout."
On top of giving back to community members in need, the event brings back familiar faces.
"I get to see a lot of people I know, who I've known for a number of years through cycling, which I don't always get to see," Patry said.