GIVING BACK BY THE BUSLOAD
City woman collects for food bank
Nicole Dechevigny-Vickers spent 32 years working at the former Charley’s Brew Pub.
When the business suddenly shut down in 2012, the mother of two boys found herself in a situation of need as her husband was also without work at the time.
Dechevigny-Vickers needed to visit the Unemployed Help Centre and local food banks, which provided assistance during the rough stretch her family experienced for a couple of years. She was able to finally secure employment again as a school bus driver and her husband got a job as a truck driver, allowing the family to get back on solid financial footing.
So, for the second time on Saturday, the local woman took it upon herself to bring out her school bus and ask the public to fill it up with food donations to help repay those who at one time helped her.
“I know some people are going though hard times right now with the flood and everything,” Dechevigny-Vickers said.
“I hope this helps everybody — anybody who needs it.”
Her employer Sharp Bus Lines has allowed her to use the bus which Saturday she parked outside the No Frills store in the 3900 block of Wyandotte Street East.
Last year, when DechevignyVickers undertook a similar effort, she filled 48 boxes of food which she donated to the Unemployed Help Centre.
There was a steady stream of people Saturday entering the bus with food items.
This year’s donations will go to the food bank at Drouillard Place.
“I have always tried to help people out,” Dechevigny-Vickers said. “I am having a blast doing this. People who know me, know I love doing this.”
An administrator from Drouillard Place was happy to be the recipient of the donations.
“It’s wonderful because near the end of summer the food on our shelves start to dwindle,” said Kim Davis, manager of the food bank. “With back-to-school costs, September can be a real expensive month for our clients.
“Nicole called offering to help us out and we think it’s great.”
The food bank at Drouillard Place helps feed about 250 people each month — those on disability, young families, single-parent households or seniors, she said. “We do see this a lot,” Davis said. “Old clients get back on their feet, then they come back and want to give donations. It’s very nice.
“You hear sometimes how people just take advantage of things, but we don’t see that at our food bank.
“People come back to us and we see how we made a difference for them. Now they want to make a difference for somebody else.”