BLOOMINGTON - Tom Aranowski, a special events coordinator for Extreme Motors in Bloomington, remembers the first time he visited the Clare House food pantry.

The year was 2000. Aranowski had recently begun working at the car dealership, where owner Dan O'Brien leads the annual Clare House Food Drive every November. Each year, O'Brien's goal is to collect enough nonperishables for his childhood friend, Clare House founder Tina Sipula, to give away during the coming 12 months. The 2007 food drive ends Wednesday.

Aranowski, who was among the Extreme employees O'Brien pressed into service, was shocked by what he saw when he arrived during one of the pantry's twice-weekly food distributions. Organizing the car dealership's work on the food drive had been just part of his job until that moment. Afterward, the work became his passion. For the past several years, he's devoted many hours of his own time in addition to about a third of his work time to the effort.

"Going there when they have people in line is what really moved me to help," said Aranowski, 64. "When you see people stretched around the block standing there waiting for just one bag of groceries, it's got to do something to you. Otherwise, you're not human."

A few years before that visit, Aranowski arrived in the Twin Cities to manage a truck body refurbishing business. His first impression of Bloomington-Normal was the same as many others: The community is affluent and white-collar. But his contact with Clare House, at 703 E. Washington St., showed him that real poverty does exist.

"There are a lot more working poor in this town than we care to admit," Aranowski said. "People working at minimum wage. You have to decide what you are going buy, food or medicine, take care of the kids or eat."

Sipula has grown to rely on the folks at Extreme Motors. O'Brien chairs the food drive, the most-important collection effort of the year. Enough food must be gathered from Nov. 1 through the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to supply an ever-growing number of people who receive a bag of groceries at 1 p.m. every Wednesday and Friday. In the past, the drive's goal was to fill five semitrailers. But the supply from the 2006 drive was nearly gone when this year's drive began. As a result, the 2007 goal is seven truckloads.

Troubleshooter's role

Aranowski is Sipula's go-to troubleshooter.

"I think he is an absolute angel," Sipula said. "He is really down to earth. He reminds me of my dad. He is always there when you need him. There is never a complaint, and he goes the extra mile. He is the kind of guy who can fix a situation with a smile and is happy to do it. He just is really a neat guy."

Crediting co-workers

But Aranowski is quick to divert credit to his co-workers and his family.

"At Extreme, at different times, just about everybody steps up and helps out," he said.

They help pick up food from the two Twin City Schnucks stores, which serve as the primary collection points. People also can drop food off at Extreme Motors. On Sundays, Aranowski and often his wife, Mary, make pickups at the grocery stores or run to the dealership to open long enough for groups like the YMCA Adventure Guides, Chesterbrook Academy and Illinois Wesleyan University students or Mitsubishi factory workers to drop food off. All of Aranowski's kids have helped over the years.

Son Nick, who works at Hertz at the Central Illinois Regional Airport, still does.

"When I do this, I at least feel that I'm giving something back for what I've got, Aranowski said. "I've got a nice family, a nice house, and I work for a great guy. It gives me the opportunity to give something back."

In Search of Santa

Many years ago, a little girl wrote a New York newspaper to ask:

"Does Santa Claus exist?"

"Yes, there is a Santa Claus," the editor answered. "He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist."

For more than 10 years, Pantagraph reporter Scott Richardson has written the series, "In Search of Santa" to focus on people in Central Illinois who embody the true meaning behind the holiday season. They give unselfishly and carry the holiday spirit into the community, not for just a week or a month, but throughout the year.

If you have someone to suggest for "In Search of Santa," call (800) 747-7323 ext. 227 from outside Bloomington-Normal or 820-3227 and leave the following information: your daytime phone number or e-mail address; the name of the person you think should be featured; a daytime and nighttime phone number for that individual; and finally, a brief message on why you think he or she deserves to be profiled in the Pantagraph. You can also e-mail srichardson@pantagraph.com

How to help

To donate

Where: Schnucks Supermarket, 1701 E. Empire St., Bloomington, and Schnucks Marketplace at Constitution Trail Centre at Main Street and Raab Road, both open 24 hours; Clare House, 703 E. Washington St., Bloomington, from 9 to 11 a.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday; and Extreme Motors, 1608 Morrissey Drive, Bloomington, during normal business hours. Sponsors include Schnucks, Extreme Motors, B104 radio, Brandt Trucking and Quality RV.

Needs

Canned foods of all kinds, including vegetables, fruits and soups.

- Dry foods, such as cereals and macaroni and cheese.

- Personal items that cannot be purchased with food stamps, such as soap, toilet paper, shampoo.

- Diapers, baby food and formula.

- Blankets.

Where it goes

- Food distribution at 1 p.m. each Wednesday and Friday at Clare House.

- Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen, open 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bloomington.

What else

- For information: (309) 828-4035

- To volunteer: (309) 828-0892