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CDDHS students donate 5,000 pounds of food to Shepherd’s Cupboard




Written By PETER RICHARDSON

On Tuesday morning (Oct. 1), the main lobby of the Centre Dufferin District High School (CDDHS) was turned into a one-of-a-kind grocery store, as the annual CDDHS Food Drive in support of the Shepherd's Cupboard Food Bank, took centre stage.

Students prepared to deliver some 500 bags of groceries that had been collected from homes in the community the previous day. The annual drive has been in existence for over 10 years and this year was co-ordinated by teachers, Julie Senese and Matt Rush. The students involved, many of whom are members of CDDHS student council, came from all grades, 9 through 12 and had distributed the brown paper collection bags, throughout Town, the previous week, before collecting them on Monday. 

This year, the drive collected over 500 bags of food and other staples for the Food Bank, totalling an estimated total of 5,000 pounds of food or more! 

According to volunteer co-ordinator Ardith Dunlop, this drive is the largest of the year for Shepherd's Cupboard and is highly anticipated, by the Food Bank, to replenish the supplies after the summer months. This year is perhaps the largest amount ever collected by the CDDHS students.

Although the students are awarded Community Service hours for efforts outside of school hours, the majority of the collection hours are purely volunteer. Their only reward being the satisfaction of helping a worthy cause. 

Some 2,000 paper bags were distributed this year with the return being well above average for an event of this kind. Shelburne's Rotary Club volunteers to transport the bags, from the high school to the Food Bank, located at the Mel Lloyd Centre. 

This year, the number of bags was so large, that a passer-by, Mr. John Oorebeek was even persuaded to donate his time and pick-up truck to the cause, to make the delivery in a single trip possible. 

In total, five vehicles, including two pick-ups, were loaded to overflowing with bags!

Once at the Mel Lloyd Centre, the bags were unloaded and carried down the stairway to the Food Bank's location. However, the amount collected had to be sorted before being shelved and the entire basement area outside of the Food Bank became a sea of students and bags, as load after load was daisy chained down the hallway. 

Meanwhile, courtesy of local businessman Guy Roberge from GBM Interioration, pizzas and beverages were set up to provide the students with lunch. 

It was a busy day indeed for Shepherd's Cupboard, as Lorena Wilson and Bill Chambers, from Trans Alta, the wind turbine company, delivered $500 dollars worth of frozen turkeys and Mike Swidersky and Diane Griffith, from the Dufferin County Cattleman's Association, arrived with a freezer full of ground beef.

The Good Shepherd depends on the generosity of the community to be able to support those in need of a helping hand and the work of the students and staff at the CDDHS comes highly appreciated. 

Without the dedication and hard work of these young people, many who depend on the Food Bank for that helping hand, would not find it offered. 

Perhaps the time out of class is an added bonus incentive, but the overwhelming sense of community and being able to help is what really drives these young people to overachieve year after year in support of the Shepherd's Cupboard Food Bank and the residents of their town.

Post date: 2019-10-03 13:30:03
Post date GMT: 2019-10-03 17:30:03
Post modified date: 2019-10-10 12:39:54
Post modified date GMT: 2019-10-10 16:39:54
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