Construction of a permanent home for the Lake Country Food Bank could start as soon as this spring – if the community gets behind it.
Lake Country businesses have promised around $200,000 of services and materials while Okanagan College has committed assistance from their Construction Trades program. UBC-O engineering students have gotten involved in the design phase and Lake Country council has made land available, next to the Seniors’ Centre on Bottom Wood Lake Road.
Now it’s up to individual members of the community.
The Rotary Club of Lake Country has taken the lead in raising funds for the new building. So far, close to $100,000 has been raised through individual and corporate donations.
To raise additional funds, Rotary has entered the Food Bank project into the Aviva Community Fund process. Each year, Aviva Insurance donates $1 million to worthy projects. Communities compete by voting on-line.
To make this project successful, here’s what you have to do.
Go to the Aviva Fund website – https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/users/registration/register -- and use your e-mail or Facebook address to be eligible to vote. (Ignore the “Broker” box that comes up; enter your details on the right side of the screen.) Actual voting starts September 29. Vote every day for the next two weeks, until October 14. Get your friends, your family, your neighbours to register and vote too.
Every vote counts. The more community involvement, the better.
The Lake Country Food Bank serves over 600 clients every month out of cramped, inadequate quarters in the Lake COuntry Boys and Girls Club.
Donations are always welcome, of food or of money. Donations over $25 can receive an income tax receipt.
But between September 29 and October 14, what’s really needed is for every resident of Lake Country to go on-line to the Aviva website to vote. Every day.
Up to $100,000 is riding on citizen participation.