For the first time in 17 years, Austin residents donated more pounds of food than residents in Albert Lea during the National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive on Saturday.

Scott Pirsig, Albert Lea letter carrier and coordinator of the local food drive, said Austin letter carriers collected 932 pounds more food than Albert Lea carriers.

Albert Lea carriers collected 12,078 pounds while Austin carriers collected 13,010.

As part of the largest one-day food drive in the nation, the carriers collected food at or near residents’ mailboxes during their normal mail delivery. The food was weighed at the respective post offices and then immediately released to area food shelves.

In Albert Lea, food was donated to the Salvation Army, the First Presbyterian Ecumenical Food Shelf and Loaves and Fishes through St. Theodore Catholic Church.

“Thanks to everyone who donated,” Pirsig said.

As part of the food drive, Austin carriers and Albert Lea carriers have issued a friendly competition to see who can collect the most donations.

Pirsig said that up until about two years ago, the competition was never even close; however, in 2010, the gap was narrowed.

At that time, Austin mail carriers collected about 14,000 pounds of food and Albert Lea carriers collected almost 15,000 pounds of food.

Albert Lea’s record is 16,700 pounds.

The winner each year gets a traveling trophy; however, because Albert Lea lost this year, the local carriers will have to surrender the trophy during an upcoming Austin City Council meeting.

“Once the word gets out that Austin beat us, I don’t think it’s going to happen again,” Pirsig said.

This is the 19th year for the annual food drive nationally and the 17th year for the Albert Lea branch to take an active role in the drive.

Pirsig commended the team of people who make the food drive possible, including the community and all of those people who donated time to collect donations.

He said there were carriers who came in to help on their days off and even a retired carrier who came in to assist.