The Knights of Columbus food hamper program is well underway again this year, with volunteers and organizers looking for monetary and food donations.
The program works with the two grocery stores in town to create food hampers to provide less fortunate families in the Bonnyville region with a Christmas dinner during the holiday season.
“(A food hamper) covers a Christmas dinner. So there is a turkey, a ham, potatoes, all of the fixings, dessert and four loaves of bread,” said Gene Sobolewksi, Knights of Columbus chair and mayor of Bonnyville.
Last year the program provided around 175 hampers to families in the region and averages around 200 hampers a year, according to Sobolewksi, who has been coordinating the food hampers for about ten years.
“The community never fails,” said Sobolewski. “We always have surplus funds which we use to look after the food bank and also we donate to two other food related programs. One is the healthy babies program and the other is the Margaret Savage Crisis Centre.”
The Knights of Columbus keep the surplus donations it receives at a local grocery store. Members of the local food bank can then use these funds to buy any food items needed throughout the year.
Anyone interested in donating to this cause can contact the Knights of Columbus or Sobolewksi himself and provide a monetary donation.
“They can also provide food, as we do collect a large amount,” said Sobolewksi. “We will have a big sorting night on Dec. 19th and (the food) is handed out in addition to the hamper boxes that we get.”
Delivery of the food hampers will start at 9 a.m. on Dec. 21. Sobolewski encourages people to come out and help with the process.
“On the Saturday when we do our delivery, we have got it down to an art form in terms of how we do the system,” said Sobolewksi. “I encourage anyone with a vehicle, and generally a partner, to come out and partake by delivering hampers.”
