(submitted/Sheila Cochrane)
Food bank challenge a hit

Melfort Food Bank the winner of local challenge

Dec 19, 2023 | 5:00 PM

The Melfort Food Bank Challenge was a massive hit.

The challenge between the RCMP detachment and fire department brought in an astonishing 7,260 pounds of food for the Melfort Food Bank.

The RCMP came out the winner in the head-to-head challenge, but the Food Bank and its users were the true winners.

Corporal Sheila Cochrane told northeastNOW the friendly competition was incredibly gratifying.

“Out of my entire career of doing anything volunteer, or organizingsomething for any community, this was by far the most rewarding thing I have ever been a part of,” Cochrane said.

That was a sentiment shared by Deputy Fire Chief Doug Walsh.

“We all had lots of fun doing it and joking and kidding one another, and having fun with it,” Walsh said.

He added the ultimate goal was to make sure the food bank came out the big winner in the challenge, especially during the Christmas season.

There were three police trucks with the box and interior full of food, along with a minivan that was also completely filled, according to Cochrane. The fire department filled a large trailer as well.

The RCMP brought in 5,192 pounds of food, while the fire department’s total food weight was 2,068 pounds.

As the winning side, members of the detachment will receive a victory party meal at TJ’s Pizza on Thursday.

Cochrane said they did do a little taunting about their victory the day the weights were revealed, but graciously added the results would have been very close had Cindy’s Your Independent Grocer not given the detachment a large donation of food.

Cochrane thanked Cindy’s and Prairie North Co-op for their generosity, along with Tara at TJ’s Pizza for raising money to purchase food, the schools for organizing food drives, and the Melfort Mustangs for the final donation night drive.

However, it wasn’t just businesses and organizations that played a part in making the challenge a huge success.

“Individual people in the community that I know first-hand really had very little to give were scrounging cupboards and gave,” Cochrane said. “It was really… heartwarming to see these folks come forward knowing that they had very little to give.”

In a message on their Facebook page, the Melfort Food Bank said “[o]ur hearts are full and our shelves are filling up.”

The post went on to thank everyone involved in the challenge, and those who donated to the cause.

“We live in a great community that pulls together when asked,” said the post. “Alone we struggle but together we can help to alleviate hunger.”

Both participants expect the event will take place again this time next year.

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