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Sauk County food pantry in jeopardy of closing

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BARABOO, Wis. (WKOW) -- A popular food pantry in Sauk County is at risk of shutting down. 

"Beyond Blessed Food Pantry" in Baraboo is desperately searching for a new location before its lease expires in January. 

One of the food pantry's largest events was held Wednesday in anticipation for Thanksgiving next Thursday. 

Items handed out ranged from frozen pizzas, turkeys, and pineapples. 

The pantry's director Shannon Howley is concerned this may be their last ever Thanksgiving hand-out. 

"Our lease is up, so there isn't the opportunity to renew so we need to move," said Howley. "We're looking for a place to either rent or to purchase. I say purchase, but we'd have to fundraise to do the purchasing."

Howley says the food pantry is a central location for small communities around Baraboo. 

"We average between 750 households every week. Those are people that are not going to have a place to go for food. They'll have some, but not like what they can get here," said Howley. 

Before the pantry began handing out food, more than 250 cars were waiting in line that spanned more than two miles of road. 

Some people said they had been waiting for more than three hours in line just to get their Thanksgiving kit. 

"I have a few people in my family and I can't afford the food. The prices are crazy," said Wendy Duren. 

"This is very important to me I'm on social security and I look forward to this every week to get something nice to eat," said Michael Ilkka, who arrived 2.5 hours before opening. 

Howley remains hopeful that the food pantry is able to relocate to a bigger facility to continue serving others. 

"We're physically located here, but we're serving a bigger population than just here," said Howley. 

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