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ANAVETS rally big for food bank

One-night fundraiser nets over $4,000 for Sidney Lions Food Bank
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Bev Elder (left) receives a cheque for $4

The ANAVETS Sidney Unit 302 rallied big this month for the Sidney Lions Food Bank.

A one-night fundraiser held Sunday, Dec. 1 at the club raised $4,100 for the local food bank which serves over 1,000 clients from the Saanich Peninsula.

“This was our 11th year doing the fundraiser and we managed to raise $600 more than we did last year so that was wonderful,” said ANAVETS Unit 302 Vice President, Charmain Lee.

The fundraiser saw club members attend an evening at the club which featured a pool tournament, a silent auction, raffle and door prize draws, food and music bingo.

“Everyone was incredibly generous and we were so happy to be able to donate the amount we did to Bev Elder at the food bank,” said Lee.

Every year, Lee hits the streets of Sidney and surrounding Peninsula communities in September seeking donations for the silent auction.

“It’s not until you get out there and start handing out those donation request letters that you really realize we’re still in a major recession. That’s what makes it even more amazing that the businesses came through in the way they did, it was wonderful,” Lee said.

The money donated to the food bank will go to purchasing items for the food bank’s Christmas hampers as well as to keep the shelves stocked after Christmas.

To go with the cheque, the ANAVETS Unit 302 also collected non-perishable food items and unwrapped gifts during the fundraising event.

“We have a huge bin full of toys to go to needy families this Christmas which is so important,” Lee said.

Along with fundraising cash and items for local community not-for-profits like the food bank, the club also hosts meat draws three times a week which generate funds they donate to other community organizations.

“We’re having a meat draw on Sunday, Dec. 15 and we’re also hosting the Sidney Firefighters’ New Years Eve party on Dec. 31. We try and do as much as we can for our community,” said Lee.

For more information or tickets for the Sidney Firefighters New Year’s Eve party (proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the department’s centennial celebrations) at Sidney ANAVETS Unit 302, call the Sidney fire department at 250-656-2121.

Tickets are also available at the ANAVETS club.