The Battlefords Empty Stocking Fund has kicked off its activities for this Christmas season by hosting its annual beef on a bun event.
The meal was served Tuesday in Third Avenue United Church, where for $6 patrons could get a meal including beef on a bun, cole slaw, and a drink, along with a cake dessert.
It's the seventh year for the fundraising event. According to numbers released by Empty Stocking Fund Executive Director Bill Hall, this year 231 meals were sold and a total of $1,444 was raised, a bit more than the $1,385 raised last year. The entire amount raised goes to the Empty Stocking Fund Christmas campaign.
"This is the official launch of our Christmas campaign to raise food and funds and toys for our Christmas hampers that we give out every year," said Hall.
All the food at the beef on a bun event was donated by Tim's Super A in Battleford, and volunteers from the Battlefords Grace Community Church and Third Avenue United Church were there as well.
Their next big event will be the Santa EMS elves from WPD Ambulance who will start collecting toys for the Empty Stocking Fund beginning Dec. 1. As well, there will be five Christmas boot locations designed to raise money for the Empty Stocking Fund, which will be set out Dec. 1 to 22.
They will also start taking applications for Christmas hampers beginning Monday, going to Dec. 3, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"We help 400 families a year at Christmas time and provide 600 to 700 toys a year," noted Hall.
Hall adds that this Christmas season the food banks across the province will be getting a welcome boost from PotashCorp, who have promised a gift match of up to a $1 million to all the food banks across Saskatchewan for all the money that is raised up to the end of December.
