Sudbury Food Bank Week
One of the largest food collection efforts in the city's annual calendar was launched Friday at Tom Davies Square.
Over the next week, Sudburians will have the opportunity to contribute both cash and nonperishable food items at a trio of events that includes the north's largest classic car show and a long-standing blues festival.
Providing a link between the two will be Greater Sudbury Public Transit.
The events get underway today on the ground of Science North at the Cruizin' for Food Car Show sponsored by the Sudbury Corvette Club.
This is the eighth year for the event, which has raised $80,000 for the food bank in that time, said club president Bob Huzij.
The event, which will have 500 classic cars on display, attracts visitors from afar including the United States. The show has become one of the largest in the province.
"It is a spectacle to behold," said Science North's Patricia Clizia.
There will be a Greater Sudbury Transit bus at the event with visitors being challenged to fill it with food.
Then on Sunday, Greater Sudbury transit will have vehicles at all six of the city's Your Independent Grocers locations from 9 a. m. to 3 p. m. collecting donations of cash and nonperishable food.
Next Saturday is the city's annual Downtown Rotary Blues for Food music festival in Memorial Park.
Admission to the event is by non-perishable food items or cash donations.
Or through a purchase of Blues for Food Sunglasses for $10 a pair.
This year's festival features nine acts on the main stage including international artist Danny Mark. There will also be a children's entertainment area with make-and-take crafts, as well as story telling, said Maureen Luoma of Downtown Sudbury.
"It's almost like a triumvirate of really high awareness events that let the community know the food bank is here," said David Kilgour, Sudbury Star publisher and president of the Sudbury Food Bank.
All three events are part of Food Bank Awareness Week, which was proclaimed during the Friday launch by Greater Sudbury Mayor John Rodriguez.
Because of the work or sponsors, all of the costs of the events are covered, said Kilgour, "so that everything we collect at these events goes directly towards food in the community, which goes toward of course the shelves in the food bank."
There is a strategic advantage to having a food drive at the start of summer, said Kilgour. "Hunger does not go on summer vacation."
While the food bank enjoys successful food drives during the fall and Christmas campaigns, there is also a need over the summer.
"Not to take anything way from those events, which are all very successful, but our issue is the shelves get a little bit bare during the summer months," said Kilgour.
Having a food drive in June means "we can raise awareness, not just for the events, but among the community, as well, to let them know the need continues 12 months of the year and it's especially crucial at this time of year."
The Sudbury Star
BOB VAILLANCOURT
Sunday, June 14, 2009
BOB VAILLANCOURT
Sunday, June 14, 2009
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