A year of blessing
- Details
- Published on Sunday, June 21, 2015
By Sharlette Paddock
At its annual meeting Riverdale Harvest food bank reflected on the generosity of our community. We are so thankful to have received continued and ongoing support from so many of you. Thank you!
Our churches have continually risen to the challenge of collecting food donations for such things as 40 cans for 40 days of Lent. Our schools planned and hosted many collection days including a Halloween Drive. Community groups, like Women’s Institute, Lions Club, hospital staff and various Christmas parties have continued to remember us and collect various donations on our behalf. The business community continues to remember us; Rivers Bigway Foods donates lots of stock to us throughout the year and runs various programs like Round to the Next Dollar. Shelly Mom’s Kitchen, with Barb Plewes, has hosted many different nights and consistently thought of us as benefactors. Individuals have thought of us with donations from their own pockets, be it food or finances. I am sure I am forgetting some and I ask you to forgive me if you were not mentioned but you were a highlight of our year! We could not meet the need that is in our community without you. Thank you again and again!
This year the total number of hampers we distributed were 201 families that included 443 children under 18, 36 couples and 135 singles. The couple and singles numbers are similar to last year’s numbers; our children number went up by almost 100 while the family number went down by almost 80.
We anticipate a consistent need throughout the summer and would ask that you continue to remember Riverdale Harvest throughout the summer. Canned or dried goods can be left at the hampers at Rivers Bigway Foods, Super Thrifty or any local church. Monetary donations can be made directly at Westoba Credit Union or you are welcome to contact any board member. Current board members are: chairperson Liliane Dupuis, vice-chair Yvonne Crouch, treasurer Tanis Neilsen, secretary Sharlette Paddock and directors Glenna Beauchamp, Giselle Cudmore, David Waterfield, Sherri Dziver, Marianne Hullick-Gamache and Heather Gray. Liliane will be resigning as chairperson in September, so we are looking for someone willing to fill this position. If you or anyone you know, would like to contribute to our community by serving with our board, please feel free to attend our meetings or talk to a current board member. The more input we have the better we are! Our next meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Prairie Crocus Regional Library.
If you are in need of a hamper please contact me at 204-328-7341 for a Monday appointment or Liliane at 204-328-7968 for a Thursday appointment. It would help us greatly if you would contact us at least a day or two ahead.
