By the end of a 12-hour food drive, 49,522 pounds of food was donated to the Colchester Food Bank.
“Colchester County is so supportive of the food bank, and they show it all year long, but there’s a special splurge when it comes to our food drive,” said Mary DeAdder, executive director of the food bank. “It's a good feeling, to be able to put together Christmas boxes.”
The first donation came just minutes before the food drive began, and they continued up until the very last minute.
Children from nearby day care centres, such as My World of Learning, made their annual trek to Commercial Street, many with their food donations in their backpacks. My World of Learning’s total donation was 66 pounds of food.
Monetary donations were also made, with the Truro and District Lions Club bringing in the first large one of the day at $2,000.
For volunteers Zack Toupin and Emmy Bartlett, it was nice to see the community come together.
“I wasn’t sure if I would like volunteering here, but the people are so nice. It’s been so fun and it’s really rewarding,” said Bartlett.
Both teenagers were volunteering their time through a Grade 12 leadership course. Toupin’s mother suggested the food drive as part of their 25 hours of community service they had to complete.
“But I’ll definitely be back again,” said Toupin. “I’d heard about it through my mom over the year, but had never really gone to it before. I used to bring food with my mom all the time.”
For Toupin, it was seeing the smiling faces of everyone – food bank staff, volunteers and those making the donations – that made the hours rewarding.
“I loved it when the kids came,” added Bartlett.
As one day care troop left the site, a truckload of food from the employees at the Sobeys warehouse in Debert arrived. Employees donate money, which is then used to purchase food items. After a steady stream of boxes was weighed, their donation came in at 652 pounds.
Twitter: @TDNRaissa
By the end of a 12-hour food drive, 49,522 pounds of food was donated to the Colchester Food Bank.
“Colchester County is so supportive of the food bank, and they show it all year long, but there’s a special splurge when it comes to our food drive,” said Mary DeAdder, executive director of the food bank. “It's a good feeling, to be able to put together Christmas boxes.”
The first donation came just minutes before the food drive began, and they continued up until the very last minute.
Children from nearby day care centres, such as My World of Learning, made their annual trek to Commercial Street, many with their food donations in their backpacks. My World of Learning’s total donation was 66 pounds of food.
Monetary donations were also made, with the Truro and District Lions Club bringing in the first large one of the day at $2,000.
For volunteers Zack Toupin and Emmy Bartlett, it was nice to see the community come together.
“I wasn’t sure if I would like volunteering here, but the people are so nice. It’s been so fun and it’s really rewarding,” said Bartlett.
Both teenagers were volunteering their time through a Grade 12 leadership course. Toupin’s mother suggested the food drive as part of their 25 hours of community service they had to complete.
“But I’ll definitely be back again,” said Toupin. “I’d heard about it through my mom over the year, but had never really gone to it before. I used to bring food with my mom all the time.”
For Toupin, it was seeing the smiling faces of everyone – food bank staff, volunteers and those making the donations – that made the hours rewarding.
“I loved it when the kids came,” added Bartlett.
As one day care troop left the site, a truckload of food from the employees at the Sobeys warehouse in Debert arrived. Employees donate money, which is then used to purchase food items. After a steady stream of boxes was weighed, their donation came in at 652 pounds.
Twitter: @TDNRaissa