by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — Area food banks’ fall donations received a huge boost from area schools following the annual Drive Away Hunger Campaign organized by Farm Credit Corporation.
Drive Away Hunger is a national campaign with tractor tours held across Canada in October to mark World Food Day, which is Oct. 16.
Working in conjunction with Barclay Dick and Son from Douglas, Farm Credit Corporation (FCC), travelled to area schools collecting bags of food. The Drive Away Hunger brown bags had been dropped off earlier this month.
Last Thursday morning, the first stop was at Cobden District Public School where 1,205 pounds of food were collected. Another stop was at Collins Barrow Accountants in Cobden where 25 pounds of food were collected.
All this food was donated to the Cobden Food Bank, a total of 1,230 pounds.
Bonnie Helferty, lead organizer for the Cobden Food Bank, said she was overwhelmed by the amount of food received.
Laughing, she recalled when teacher Jan Oakes called and told her about the project, noting that the amount of food would not fit into her truck this time.
“It’s fantastic,” she said. “I’ve never seen so many cans in one place before.”
The Renfrew Food Bank received 1,544 pounds of food from three schools: Admaston Public School: 288 lbs; Central Public School: 241 lbs. and Renfrew Collegiate Institute: 1,015 lbs.
The Eganville Food Bank received 1,245 lbs of food from Opeongo High School: 325 lbs; St. Michael’s Catholic School in Douglas: 480 lbs and St. James Separate School in Eganville: 440 lbs.
“I honestly think that this is an amazing accomplishment for our first tour year and I want to congratulate everyone on the BDS team on all the hard work that was put in over this campaign,” said Corey Benner, the Relationship Manager from FCC who organized the event locally. “None of this could have happened without all the effort and equipment, and we all know and felt that it was truly appreciated and made a significant impact in the communities that we serve on a daily basis.”
Mr. Benner thanked the crew from Barclay Dick and Son for all their hard work.
“I’m still a little bit struck by how much we were able to accomplish in the first year of the tour in Renfrew County,” he said.
“The idea is the food that is collected stays local and helps out the rural communities that we all live in and service.”
Charlene Dick, an owner at Barclay Dick and Son, said while the FCC has done this campaign previously, it’s the first time it was held in Renfrew County.
Not only did the students participate by bringing back the brown bags filled with a variety of items for the food banks, many enjoyed seeing the large tractor which pulled the very large trailer used to haul the food. Jennifer Doelman, a partner in the business, drove the tractor to Cobden.
“We’re excited with the results,” Ms. Dick said.
This is a good cause and will become an annual event, she added.
