Primary care paramedic Tim Fletcher knows first hand that many people struggle to put food on the table.
B次元官网网址淲e respond all over the Peninsula, we have seen all walks of life, all different families, and we know there is a need out there, because we have seen the need,B次元官网网址� said Fletcher.
It is this spirit of giving back to the community that inspired Fletcher, his colleague Jeff Radvin and paramedics from across the Saanich Peninsula to fill one of their ambulances with at least $9,000 worth of donated groceries and other items for the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank. The campaign also collected some $3,000 in cash.
B次元官网网址淲e go into so many peoplesB次元官网网址� houses, we see the social demographics, so we know that this is good cause,B次元官网网址� said Fletcher, as he taps on the outside of the vehicle.
RELATED:
Radvin said this yearB次元官网网址檚 donation drive was the second of its kind in three years and both agreed that the response of the public could have not been better.
B次元官网网址淎s it filled up, we were getting giddy,B次元官网网址� said Fletcher. B次元官网网址淲e could notice that the back of the ambulance was actually getting lower and lower. It feels heavy.B次元官网网址�
Radvin said driving the ambulance to the food bank felt like driving a football team to their game.
B次元官网网址淎nd how do you feel about having food in back? It is a lot better than having patients in the back,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 for sure,B次元官网网址� he said.
The collection drive itself started Friday night in the parking lot of the Thrifty Foods outlet in Central Saanich and lasted 30 hours.
B次元官网网址淭hey were more than happy to allow us into their parking lot and take up parking spaces for the weekend,B次元官网网址� said Radvin.
Customers, as well as staff working at the grocery store, went above and beyond expectations in buying groceries, with some also donating cash, said Radvin.
Beverley Elder, the food bankB次元官网网址檚 executive director, said the donation will make a huge difference in keeping shelves stocked.
B次元官网网址淚t was a nice surprise,B次元官网网址� she said of the donation, which she learned off via social media post on Saturday. B次元官网网址淚t has been great to get these spontaneous donations.B次元官网网址�
Like us on Facebook and follow @wolfgang_depner
