A group of people who mostly knew each other only from a Facebook group gathered in Centennial Square on Sunday evening before a planned trip around the downtown to hand out food, warm clothing and hygiene products to homeless individuals.
Taking this charitable show on the road was easier said than done, however, as the group found themselves for the first while handing out items where they stood, with a line of people trooping through the square to take advantage of the generosity of others.
Greater Victoria resident Jenny Hindley organized SundayB次元官网网址檚 Flash Feeding Frenzy via the fledgling Facebook community Ballin Pics and Clicks, with the help of that groupB次元官网网址檚 co-founder Ryan Thirlwall of Highlands.
B次元官网网址淚nstead of us just being on Facebook I wanted to bring us out into the community,B次元官网网址� Hindley said. The support from various businesses and individuals for the groupB次元官网网址檚 first event has been tremendous, she noted, with donations of shoes, used warm clothing and numerous food items.
One volunteer even baked potatoes, complete with butter and utensils. B次元官网网址淧eople shouldnB次元官网网址檛 have to eat them with their hands,B次元官网网址� she said, smiling.
Thirlwall, who created the Facebook group just a few short months ago with Roland Ruhl-Larocque, Assiniboine, Alta., greeted the visitors with kindness and enthusiasm. A similar event was held in Edmonton earlier Sunday and resulted in large numbers of people treated to warm clothing and nutritious food, Thirwall said.
Ballin Pics and Clicks, given a B次元官网网址測outhful, catchy nameB次元官网网址� to appeal to more young people, he said, aims to promote positive living through the posting of uplifting comments and photos. As of Monday nearly 14,000 people had joined the online group.
B次元官网网址淲e try to demonstrate what we practice in our own online community and pay it forward and love it forward in our real, offline communities,B次元官网网址� said Thirwall, a former national top 20 under 20 recipient for leadership achievement and active anti-bullying advocate and fundraiser. B次元官网网址淎s we like to say, it costs zero dollars to be a decent human being.B次元官网网址�
He and Hindley expect more events like the Feeding Frenzy to be popping up to benefit the downtown street community as the weather grows colder.
Find the online group by searching for Ballin Pics and Clicks on Facebook.
