Everybody can do something to help

The following is a first-person account by an individual who is helped by the Salvation Army food bank, the recipient of this year’s Be An Angel campaign. To donate, visit The Herald office, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., at 101-186 Nanaimo Ave. W., or visit www.pentictonherald.ca.

My husband and our family have needed to access the food bank in the past.

I am on disability and my husband was working up north, but due to medical circumstances he could no longer do so. We came to the Salvation Army food bank on and off when we needed to.

We are a blended family. My husband works occasionally now, part time and a casual job. We make ends meet and rarely need to use the food bank. It is reassuring to know that it is there when we need it.

We have always tried to teach our children that it is so important to be part of the community and give back; even if you can’t with money, there is always something you can do to help.

We and our four year-old-son, Tyler, realized that we had so many walnuts on our 80-year-old tree in the home we are renting. We came up with an idea to try to give back. The three of us (with Grandma’s help) started picking up the fallen walnuts a few weeks ago. We husked them, cleaned them, dried them and bagged them. Some we washed with a friend’s pressure washer. We sold them for $5 per bag. I put it on Facebook and posted pictures of Tyler cleaning them. About 25 bags sold within two weeks.

Today, my husband and I and Tyler came in to the Food Bank with $115 to donate so that the food bank can buy good food for those in need this Christmas.

Tyler says it was “hard work, but I had fun doing it.” He also knows “it’s not nice to have a hungry tummy.”