THUNDER BAY - Lights were flashing outside various grocery stores across the city not because of an emergency, but to remind people that there are those in need this time of year.
The eighth annual Stuff a Cruiser event was held on Saturday at six locations in Thunder Bay and Kakabeka Falls to collect food and monetary donations in support of the Regional Food Distribution Association and Rural Cupboard Food Bank.
“We just want to make sure everyone in our community has food on their table during this festive season and beyond,” said provincial Const. Diana Cole with the Ontario Provincial Police.
Police services including the OPP, Thunder Bay Police Service, the RCMP, Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, Anishinabek Police Service, and the Canadian Border Services participated in the event.
“These kinds of events are really important,” said Brendan Carlin, community services manager with the RFDA. “We love events where it makes it easy for people to donate and support us. People love to stuff the cruiser and talk to the police officers and get to know their officers a little better as well.”
Carlin added in past years, stuff a cruiser events have brought in between five and six tons of food to help stock the shelves at the RFDA.
“We need to stock up,” he said. “It’s a tough time of year for people. They have a lot of extra choices to make. They have family visiting, they have kids to buy things for, and Christmas is coming. There is a bigger need and this is when we stock our shelves for Christmas and we are doing well moving forward.”
The food collected at various food drives in the city should last through the holiday season and into the new year, Carlin said, but the need is always there.
But so far cruisers across the city are being stuffed and the shelves are being stocked, which will go a long way this season.
“People in Thunder Bay are just so kind and generous,” Cole said. “In past years it has been a phenomenal amount of food collected and monetary donations. People here are second to none when it comes to generosity and kindness.”
“It’s important as well because emergency services, not just police officers, know about the need,” Carlin added. “They go into places where there is a lot of need and they understand that feeding people is a really important part of a healthy community.”
