THUNDER BAY — The local chapter of the United Way has presented the Dew Drop Inn, the Regional Food Distribution Association and the Roots Community Food Centre with a five-figure cheque.
The funding was raised during its CommUNITY Barbecue in early July, providing $45,000 to be shared between the three community organizations, with a contribution also to Isthmus Thunder Bay. That organization helps feed children during the school year with their Blessings in a Backpack program.
“We are so pleased with the results of this year’s community barbecue,” said Albert Brulé, the CEO of the United Way of Thunder Bay.
“We’ve been doing the event for a number of years," he continued. "This was the first year that we did it at the Roots Community Food Centre and it just seemed to be a beautiful setting."
"It was a beautiful day — we drew lots of folks from (the) community. We had lots of community sponsors on board.”
And, it’s reflected in the results of the event, Brulé said.
“It’s really awesome for the United Way of Thunder Bay to be able to support events like this and to help ensure that the funds needed by these vital community organizations are made available,” Brulé said.
“Food security is a big challenge in our community and across Canada. And so, to be able to support these three organizations is core to the mission of the United Way of Thunder Bay.”
The cheque was presented on Wednesday.
Brulé added that they were so grateful to their sponsor, Sarjeant Propane, and all of the other sponsors who helped make it possible.
Michael Quibell, the executive director of the Dew Drop Inn, said receiving the money was “pretty amazing.”
“We exceeded all expectations. The barbecue this year was a huge success and I want to thank everyone who supported the raffle, who sponsored the dunk tank, who actually came to the barbecue,” Quibell said.
“It was wonderful working with Roots Community Food Centre and the RFDA and the United Way. And we’re all just over the moon with the results.”
Quibell added that it’s also really great because community support is how they serve a good meal every day.
“It’s kind of like the community coming together to help the Dew Drop Inn and feed the hungry,” Quibell said.
Tanner Harris, the food service manager at the RFDA, agreed it was a great success from previous years and the funding will go a long way for them.
“Every year, that we’ve done this barbecue, it’s grown, now to the point where we’ve had to change locations and Roots (Community Food Centre) is generous enough to allow us to use it, but also bring them in as a new partner on this event," he said. "So that just really made it that much bigger.”
Erin Beagle, the executive director of Roots Community Food Centre, said she also found receiving funding from the community barbecue “incredible.” She said they were excited to be a part of it and to put it to good use.
“It’s our first year being part of the community barbecue, so it’s an unexpected bonus to our budget this year, which we will put to good use, especially with the rising cost of food and feeding more and more people," Beagle said, adding that her organization hosts seniors’ meals and community food markets.
This year, they also did the dunk tank a little bit differently, Beagle said, and had some community members really step up and go to bat for them by sitting in the dunk tank for about 25 minutes each.
“I really want to give a shout out to Dave Thomas and Jordan Lester and Erik and Ryan Tront from Thunder Bay (Professional) Firefighters (Association), who collectively raised more than 13 thousand dollars of this total from dunk tank proceeds,” Beagle said.
“So, (we're) really glad that there are so many people who want to put those folks underwater and that it all really goes to great use between local charities.”
