Fundraiser planned for food bank’s community garden
Glace Bay man urging people to sign up for charity dodgeball tournament
A Glace Bay man is hoping people aren’t thinking of dodging an upcoming fundraising event.
Steven MacNeil, a member of the Glace Bay Volunter Fire Department and on the board of directors for the Glace Bay Food Bank, has organized a dodgeball tournament for ages 18 and up to raise funds for the food bank’s community garden.
“Events like this can only continue if people show up for it,” he explained.
The tournament will be held Sunday, Oct. 1, at Cape Breton University’s Sullivan Field House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entry fee is $30 per team of six. Teams must have a minimum of two women per team.
MacNeil said he passed out flyers at businesses throughout the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and at CBU. Currently there are six teams booked but they need at least 10.
“We can take on as many as possible and could do 100 teams easily,” he said.
“CBU is such a large facility we could have four to six courts going at once.”
MacNeil said this fundraiser isn’t being done in conjunction with the food bank but rather something he is doing on his own, including taking out event insurance on his own accord.
“It was just about doing doing the groundwork for a positive event in our community,” he said.
Funds from the tournament will go towards helping with the garden next year.
MacNeil said the community garden at the food bank not only provides fresh food all summer long but food bank co-ordinator Kimberly McPherson also does pickling and jams from the garden.
“Every time I’m there I’m inspired by this garden and feel it’s something every food bank should have,”
MacNeil added.
For more information on the dodgeball tournament visit the @CharityDodgeballTournament Facebook page or email dodgeballtournamentfundraiser@gmail.com or call Steven MacNeil at 902-202-6463.
McPherson began the community garden in the spring of 2015 after receiving a $6,000 grant from Food Banks Canada and Compass Group Canada.
The garden allows for more than 50 kinds of vegetables as well as herbs for the food bank’s hot meal program as well as fresh vegetables for food orders for families. Pickling and jams provide preserves in the winter, cooking programs have been held for families, students have become involved in projects at the community garden and families have taken home vegetable plants to learn how to grow vegetables themselves.