Cast-A-Light

Good to give back
by Contributed - Story: 67360
Nov 17, 2011 / 5:00 am

Tim is one of those regular characters you meet at the pub watching a hockey game and sharing a laugh. He drives truck for a living and shows up with a joke and a ready chuckle most evenings. You would get the impression that life has always been good to him. You would be wrong.

He had heard about the launch of the fifth annual Kelowna Community Food Bank Cast A Light Campaign and on this evening, he arrives in a serious mood with a humbling story to tell of how the Kelowna Food Bank helped keep him going a few years back when he didn’t know where to turn.

“I was up north driving big rigs around the oil patch, living large and not thinking much about the future,” says Tim. "Then, one afternoon, on a day off, I was out walking and slipped on some ice, fell and shattered my leg in three places. Well, it didn’t happen at work so I wasn’t covered and after waiting it out for a few months to heal, I was running out of benefits and money. I came back to Kelowna, but soon found I could barely afford rent, let alone food. I still couldn’t work and I was out of options. You know, I’m a big, strong, guy but I didn’t know what to do and that scared the hell out of me.”

A friend suggested Tim come into the Food Bank and he is glad he did. They gave him a hand up with a monthly food hamper that got him over the hard times and helped keep him going until he was finally able to get out and look for work again. In this uncertain economy, that took some time. He spent a lot of time at their client computer stations looking over job opportunities and he is thankful that the Food Bank was there for him until he was able to get rolling again on his own.

“I think an experience like what I went through is both humbling and valuable. You learn to cherish your health, your ability to go to work and appreciate the fact that you have a good job to go to,” says Tim. “Especially, today, when so many people are out there struggling to find a decent job, you need to be thankful. You know, many of us are just a pay cheque or two away from losing our homes and having to rely on the Food Bank just to get by,” he adds.

Tim turns and smiles, then he leans over, puts a big hand down and slides a twenty dollar bill in front of me. “Give it to my friends down at the Food Bank,” he says. “Tell them I’ll be down to volunteer and tell them, thanks.”

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

 - Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31st, 2011. ( A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

 - Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

 - Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

 

Kelowna Community Food Bank

1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC

V1Y 1Z7

 

Phone: 250-763-7161

Fax: 250-763-9116

How does this story make you feel? (89 total votes)
Castanet MoodMeter
Concerned
5.6%
Sad
4.5%
Interested
3.4%
Inspired
74.2%
Indifferent
12.4%
share
top of page


Read more Cast-A-Light articles



Donate online:

Questions call: 250-763-7161

Donations will automatically be recognized online. If you wish your contribution to be anonymous please email info@kelownafoodbank.com

Every amount counts!


Christmas music on Castanet


Help us reach our goal of $50,000

Top Cast-a-light Donors

Personal

  1. Cast A Light Auction $7,404.63
  2. Barry Chase $4,000.00
  3. Anonymous $2,139.12

1-25 Employees

  1. Pihl Law Corporation $1,000.00
  2. J Kirby And Co. $600.00
  3. Pandosy Street Developments Ltd $500.00

26-50 Employees

  1. Kel West Carriers Ltd $1,200.00

76-100 Employees

  1. Competition Glass $625.00

Recent Challenges

  • Alana Marrington from Pandosy Street Developments Ltd. puts a challenge out (on behalf of Collett Manor) to all employees and past care recipients in the medical community, as well as those in the golf and hospitality industries.
  • Al Cosar from Kel West Carriers Ltd. puts a friendly challenge out to all transportation companies to match or better their $1200 Cast-A-Light donation.

_



Cast-a-light Donors

  • Cast A Light Auction $7404.63
  • Barry Chase $4000.00
  • Anonymous $2139.12
  • Kelowna Pipe Band $2058.74
  • Gerald Goertsen $1500.00
  • Kel West Carriers Ltd $1200.00
  • David Flemming $1000.00
  • Pirjo Boucher $1000.00
  • Pihl Law Corporation $1000.00
  • Richard Skrapek $1000.00
  • Kenneth Phillips $1000.00
  • Nicola Consiglio $1000.00
  • Daryl Klassen $1000.00
  • Colin Axelson $1000.00
  • Competition Glass $625.00
  • J Kirby And Co. $600.00
  • William Farley $600.00
  • Stephen Netzlaw $600.00
  • Janet Morton $500.00
  • Jayne Brooks $500.00
  • Bruce Stone $500.00
  • Judith A Stringer $500.00
  • Bernard Morel $500.00
  • Jorin Wolf $500.00
  • Pandosy Street Developments Ltd $500.00
  • Mary Jane Slavin $500.00
  • Onsite Custom Software $500.00
  • Albert Chu $500.00
  • Joyce Brinkerhoff $500.00
  • Hugh Culver $500.00
  • Donald Greer $500.00
  • Pam Neveu $500.00
  • Shaundra Ihas $500.00
  • Bob Brandes $500.00
  • Tom Kuntz $500.00
  • Michael Sidoni $500.00
  • Cindy Roth $500.00
  • Brian Shepard $336.00
  • Thomas E Wyatt $300.00
  • Geri Davis $250.00
  • Tara Treadgold $250.00
  • Cecile OBrien $200.00
  • Alexander Campbell $200.00
  • Anonymous $200.00
  • Corey Doak $200.00
  • Brian Milligen $200.00
  • David Jones $200.00
  • Ricardo's Mediterranean $200.00
  • Joyce House Bed & Breakfast $200.00
  • Anne O'Keefe $200.00
  • James Berwick $200.00
  • Aaron Jackson $200.00
  • Theresa Leitch $200.00
  • Sandra Backman $190.46
  • Leena Phillips $150.00
  • Loren Tottier $150.00
  • James Robinson $150.00
  • Steve Wahl $135.00
  • Norm Tearoe $125.00
  • Gary Stoutenburg $100.00
  • Terry Hogan $100.00
  • Janet Stein $100.00
  • Dana Osborne $100.00
  • Inder Tumber $100.00
  • Steve Sharman $100.00
  • Sheilagh Livingstone $100.00
  • Keith Alimonti $100.00
  • Geoffrey McLaren $100.00
  • Russ Horton $100.00
  • Christina Coombes $100.00
  • Taylor venden Brink $100.00
  • Richard Provost $100.00
  • Michael Delorme $100.00
  • Cameron McIntyre $100.00
  • James Kay $100.00
  • Donald Searle $100.00
  • Kevin Mcdonnell $100.00
  • Kathy Adie $100.00
  • Dulce Fry $100.00
  • Leslie A Falk $100.00
  • Lori Field $100.00
  • PKW Management $100.00
  • Chris Jenner $100.00
  • Christine Poirier $100.00
  • Caitlyn Liberto $100.00
  • Denise Kristensen $100.00
  • Ken Murray $100.00
  • Jim and Marilyn Ivanitz $100.00
  • Aurora Corcoran $100.00
  • Ena Galloway $100.00
  • James D. Dickie $100.00
  • Darcy and Sonia Provost $100.00
  • Doug Kilgour $100.00
  • Margot Carlyle $100.00
  • Troy Mack $100.00
  • Chris Ridley $100.00
  • Chad Semeniuk $100.00
  • Deborah Wiersma $100.00
  • Christine J. Von Lokvenz $100.00
  • Monika Jaegli $100.00
  • Susanne Hirschmiller $100.00
  • Laurie Lowe $100.00
  • Zoe Bird $100.00
  • Railene Anfuso $100.00
  • Michelle Jamison $100.00
  • Anne Lacey $100.00
  • Janet Sutherland $100.00
  • Kate Carr $100.00
  • Leanna McDonald $100.00
  • Gayle Voyer $100.00
  • Lisa Michelle Taylor $100.00
  • Susan Ruck $100.00
  • Wendy Spence $100.00
  • Darryl Somcher $100.00
  • David Harman $100.00
  • Heather Baker $100.00
  • Leanne Pastore $75.00
  • Donna Kozak $60.00
  • Sellena, Shawn and Karen $60.00
  • Andrea and Ryan Saari $50.00
  • Judy Ronacher $50.00
  • Polly Palmer $50.00
  • BAI Comics $50.00
  • Paul Shearing $50.00
  • Morgan Tranfield $50.00
  • Donaleen Glosser $50.00
  • Sharon Hyatt $50.00
  • Brijesh Mathur $50.00
  • Heather Stoutenburg $50.00
  • Charles Stuart $50.00
  • Meagan Lauer $50.00
  • Denis Beaudry $50.00
  • Sandra Hinterleitner $50.00
  • Tracy Harrison $50.00
  • Patricia Bellamy $50.00
  • Tom Bell $50.00
  • Tamera Sinclair $50.00
  • Christina Street $50.00
  • Tera Pemberton $50.00
  • Lindsay Sill $50.00
  • Gwynne Harries $50.00
  • Keith Gaudreau $50.00
  • Robert Sawatzky $50.00
  • Justin Hettinga $50.00
  • Christopher Krause $50.00
  • Kris Kutny $50.00
  • Adrian Rizzo $50.00
  • Cameron Henry $50.00
  • Katie Rogers $50.00
  • Sandy Nestor $50.00
  • Heather E. Geni $50.00
  • Holly Hudson Bobyn $50.00
  • Shane Worman $50.00
  • Gail Prichard $50.00
  • Meiko Koga $50.00
  • Erin Dickieson $50.00
  • Joyce Doege $50.00
  • Lynsay Pickard $50.00
  • Anonymous $50.00
  • Gordon Guild $50.00
  • Dana Kruiper $50.00
  • Karen Tymchuk $40.00
  • Joel Yanow $36.00
  • David Greenshields $30.00
  • George Grinnell $30.00
  • Ron P. Ruppel $25.00
  • Kelvin Giesbrecht $25.00
  • Carmen Perrett $25.00
  • Mary C Smith $25.00
  • Shelley Stoochnow $25.00
  • Michelle Kooistra $25.00
  • Wealth Win At Home $25.00
  • Roberta Snow $25.00
  • Griffen Seed $25.00
  • Minh Le $20.00
  • Starla Reynolds $20.00
  • Karen Emmond $20.00
  • Carling Benson $20.00
  • Christina D Shaak $20.00
  • Susan Ross $20.00
  • Dennis Bennett $20.00
  • Dixie Beardmore $20.00
  • Corey Sullivan $20.00
  • Adam Goodwin $15.00
  • Brett Slutker $15.00
  • Lydia Ross $10.00
  • Nicholas Mcparland $10.00
  • IKirsten Harrison $10.00
  • Lisa Fennell $10.00
  • Xavier Mendoza $10.00

_



About Cast-A-Light

Castanet.net has partnered with the Kelowna Community Food Bank to raise much needed funds, food, and toys for children and families in our community.

Our goal this year is to raise $50,000 with all funds going to programs at the Kelowna Community Food Bank.

Your donation to the fifth annual Cast-A-Light Campaign will provide a brighter future for those less fortunate in our community.
The Kelowna Community Food Bank will acknowledge all gifts to the Cast-A-Light Campaign. Tax receipts are mailed for donations in the amount of $10 or more with addresses provided.

View a Shaw TV segment from our 2007 campaign:




About the Food Bank

The Kelowna Community Food Bank is a self-supporting non-profit organization, raising food and funds through donations, special events, community food drives and local and national sponsors. The Food Bank is operated by a volunteer board of directors, 8 staff members and more than 100 volunteers who contribute over 20,000 hours annually, providing essential services including food collection, distribution and sorting, hamper preparation, client assistance and referrals, and special event planning and fundraising.

The Kelowna Community Food Bank was established in 1983 to provide short-term support to Kelowna families and individuals in need of temporary assistance. Since then the mission has grown to help alleviate chronic hunger and poverty in the Central Okanagan by providing our clients with a 5 to 7 day supply of healthy food on a monthly basis. Annually, we serve more than 30,000 persons including nearly 10,000 children, distributing over $2 million in food.

The Kelowna Food Bank is a member of The BC Association of Food Banks and the Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB).

1265 Ellis Street
Kelowna, BC V1Y 1Z7

Phone: 250-763-7161
Fax: 250-763-9116
Email: info@kcfb.ca
http://www.kelownafoodbank.com/



Family profiles on this page have been provided by the Kelowna Community Food Bank.



Previous Stories




RSS this page.
(Click for RSS instructions.)
© 2012 Castanet.net
Castanet Apps facebook twitter youtube rss feeds