By Alisa Howlett/News staff
They got up at the crack of dawn, they were fed a mediocre breakfast and then they were unabashedly begged for money.
At least that’s how Bill Foster, president of the Sidney Lions Food Bank, jokingly put it. It may seem unorthodox and bad, but it’s not, really.
The second annual Breakfast with the Bank hosted by the Sidney Lions Food Bank at the SHOAL Centre in Sidney was on Friday, May 5. The event, emceed by Kenny Podmore, gathered ‘table captains’ – individuals who are willing and able to reach out to their business and social circles to fill tables of 10 seats – to raise money that goes directly to supporting the services of the local food bank.
Before people were invited to enjoy breakfast, Tsartlip First Nation Councillor Joni Olsen spoke about the oppression of people and the lack of secure food in Canada. She expressed her appreciation for the food bank, but indicated it exists as a product of failure from our current government system.
The breakfast itself was continental style, with pastries, fruit and lots of coffee.
There were 10 tables this year. The table captains were: Elizabeth May (MP and federal leader of the Green Party), Stephen Roberts (Saanich North and the Islands BC Liberal candidate), Adam Olsen (Saanich North and the Islands BC Green candidate), Mayor Ryan Windsor (Central Saanich), Mayor Alice Finall (North Saanich), the Chamber of Commerce and the Sidney Community Association.
Table 2 – Roberts’ table – set the bar high for the rest by donating $2,000 right away.
In less than an hour, the 10 tables raised over $17,000, with significant $1,000 contributions from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #37, the Royal Oak Lions and the Sidney Lions, along with $2,500 from the Central Saanich Lions Club.
“It’s amazing how generous our community is and how much they give back to us,” said Beverley Elder, executive director of the food bank.
With the large donation, Elder will be able to purchase more food in bulk at wholesale prices. This way she can buy what people need, like toilet paper; as well as buy what they want, like fresh bread, eggs and milk. She joked about some of the donations received over the years the food bank definitely did not need, like alligator pâté and vegetarian haggis.
Elder based Breakfast with the Bank on a similar fundraiser run by the Surrey Food Bank, which has been running successfully for years. Marilyn Herrmann, executive director of the Surrey Food Bank, was present at the event.
“People are in need of human kindness, not charity,” said Herrmann. “We are performing acts of human kindness.”
Herrmann told a tragic, but inspiring, story about a 29-year-old woman who lived in Sidney years ago. She said this woman was in a destructive and dysfunctional marriage, but stayed in the relationship for the sake of her three young children, while her other, extended family members were also struggling. Herrmann revealed at the end of her story the young woman was indeed her, years ago. She explained that her past experience is what has allowed her to run the food bank for the last 14 years.
“Walking through the door and asking for help is the hardest part of the food bank,” said Elder. She added that the majority of people who have used the food bank in the last year are singles between 50 to 65 years old.
Over all, Elder said the fundraiser was very successful and will be a reoccurring event.
