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St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Food Drive
Ecumenical Canned Food Drive - held annually since 1971
November 27, 2010
Saturday morning started poorly with light snow about 9 am, just as drivers & volunteers were starting to pick up canned food left on the porches of houses in this neighbourhood.
If you can't read the fine print, the participating churches are - Leaside Presbyterian, Leaside United, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rosedale Presbyterian, Rosedale United, St. Anselm's, St. Augustine's, St. Cuthbert's, Northlea United and St. Simon's.
Parishioner Peter Bennett is picking up his route from Brian Kearney, head of the Canned Food Drive.
Ken Lacombe is also handing out routes to drivers and "runners" to pick up the canned goods.
The packers are all ready, waiting for the canned food to be brought in, unpacked and re-packed into these carton boxes donated by the beer companies.
Brian is handing out a route to another drive with a very young helper.
Wow, look at all the goodies for the volunteers, thanks to the generosity of Sobeys on St. Clair just east of Yonge. Sobeys is also helping with their $10 or $15 pre-packaged bag - see Parish News for more info.
The picked up canned foods are unloaded and taken downstairs to the OLPH Parish Hall.
Brian Wayne is making good use of Roy's cane to reach the far bags.
Brian Kearney came out to check how things were running outside.
Things are in full swing now as hundreds of canned goods are brought in.
Once the canned goods are re-packed in these beer cartons, they have to be brought up to be loaded on the waiting truck.
This truck will deliver the canned goods to the four Food Banks - Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Christian Resource Centre, Evangel Hall and the Flemingdon Park Ministry.
By mid-morning, the clouds and snow were replaced by sunshine.
Young helpers carry the goods downstairs
OLPH parishioners Rob and Melissa Leonituk unloading their pickup load.
OLPH parishioner Dympna O'Byrne is at her usual counting desk, keeping count of the number of goods in each carton as they are moved out.
Brian Kearney is recording what parishioner Lois Roberts has brought back. At the back is Colette Kearney who was looking after all the snacks and drinks.
That's a heavy load to start moving - and carrying upstairs. Where is that conveyor belt or elevator?
The preliminary total count for Saturday was about 18,000 canned goods, excluding any that will come in via the Sobeys pre-packaged bags.
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