Food drive collects 47 tons for food bank

Editor: Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Kelowna and West Kelowna residents rose to the call for food donations for the food bank.

A small army of volunteers numbering over 500 gathered food donations totalling a record 94,000 pounds (42,638 kilograms or 47 tons) for the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank on Saturday.

As vehicles loaded to the brim with food donations collected from neighborhoods all around the city came rolling like a caravan into the parking lot at the food bank, volunteers scurried to empty the vehicles and transport the food into the sorting area inside.

The response to the call for help was answered in a big way by Kelowna and West Kelowna residents.

“I’ve been a BC Thanksgiving Food Drive volunteer for seven years, but as I watched the amount of food donations arrive at the food bank, I knew that I was experiencing something special,” said volunteer and lead organizer, Debbie Morris.

She was right. Kelowna and West Kelowna residents more than doubled the previous year’s donations, answering the call for help issued by Lenetta Parry, executive director of the food bank. Many volunteers were brought to tears seeing the mountain of food donations.

A simple “thanks” doesn’t seem enough, but words cannot express the gratitude of the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive for the response in Kelowna and West Kelowna.

Mayors Colin Basran and Doug Findlater along with MLA Steve Thomson provided leadership, support and used their political office to assist in helping residents understand the great need.

Food bank staff and volunteers worked tirelessly and called our attention to the desperate plight of the food bank. Costco and SaveOn made donations and graciously offered their facilities.

Media companies in the Central Okanagan created and delivered messages to the community. More than 500 volunteers from all walks of life gave their time, talents and muscle.

Lastly and importantly, Kelowna and West Kelowna residents answered the call for help in an enormous way by donating so generously that the bags and bins were filled.

“Although I’m dead tired, my feet hurt and I could use a warm bath, my heart is just swelling with good feelings,” said Kelowna volunteer organizer, Paige Knauf. Many volunteers went home tired on Saturday evening, but their hearts were swelling just like the food bank shelves. Thank you! 47 tons of food. Thank you all. Gordon H. Oliver, volunteer, director of public affairs, BC Thanksgiving Food

Drive, Central Okanagan