UNITY, LUSELAND, KERROBERT — A University of Saskatchewan poll found that food bank use in the Prairies is the highest in the nation, as grocery prices continue to skyrocket across the country. Faced with continual rising grocery bills that are said to have grown at the fastest rate since mid-1981, residents have been forced to turn to food banks to feed themselves.
Thanks to community initiatives at Halloween, food banks in Luseland, Kerrobert and Unity once again benefited from student-led efforts and resident generosity.
In Kerrobert, as part of the Kerrobert Composite School’s annual Scare Hunger initiative, a total of 215 items was collected and donated to the food bank, exceeding their goal of 200 items.
In Luseland, it wasn’t school initiated, but did involve school volunteers. Co-ordinator of the Frightening Food Frenzy campaign, Andy Finley, said, “We had an overwhelming response raising over $4,100 in product and monetary donations. Luseland Food Bank will benefit from vast amounts of food, soap and paper products that were donated.”
In Unity, “Scare Hunger” is a decade-old tradition. UCHS teacher and campaign co-ordinator Anne Marie David said, “We had nine volunteer drivers and 17 students canvas the town on Halloween night for Unity Food Bank donations. The campaign collected 1,510 lbs of food.”
With the help of Seb Lauinger, UCHS student, and volunteers Tommi and Terri Watt, Doreen Buckley and Ellen Ternes, the food was sorted and put into inventory as collection boxes arrived.”
The activity that involves student participation demonstrates the level of leadership and citizenship by community schools.
