As part of his Fundraiser Fridays happening all summer long at the Tube Shack, owner Aaron Frisby presented the Cowichan Lake Food Bank with a $150 cheque on Saturday, July 28.
Food bank volunteer Betty Sanddar says that it means a lot to them that local businesses take on initiatives such as this.
“It’s fabulous!” said Sanddar. “I’m really excited. And for these guys when they put on Facebook that they were going to do for non-profits, I messaged him back and said well you know, we’re a non-profit, we’d love to be part of that.”
The past couple of weekends have not been that great weather wise for bringing tubers in, but Frisby expects that August will be much better.
“August numbers are obviously a lot better so there will be a better turn out,” said Frisby in reference to the other Fundraiser Fridays that will be happening throughout the month.
He was also hoping for donations of non-perishable items for the food bank, but says that none were brought in.
But that didn’t deter the spirits of Sanddar and Cindy Vaast, another food bank coordinator and volunteer who was also on hand to receive the donation.
“Every little bit helps,” said Vaast. “A lot of times we purchase (fresh produce) every month, so to have actual cash and to be able to do it is great.”
“We get a lot of donations,” adds Sanddar. “But what we ask for for donations is non-perishable stuff because it doesn’t matter what we get we will use it eventually. We have to buy produce, and often we have to buy milk.”
The two women say they have had response from three local residents who, once their gardens start producing enough to harvest, have said they will bring down donations of fresh produce before food bank day on the second Wednesday of each month.
“But right now the gardening is just starting to happen,” said Vaast. “It’s been a little late this year. But I’ve also had a great call from Jayne Ingram and she’s thinking of next year of us doing ‘Grow a Row’ so that people that already do their gardens will just add a row for the food bank, and I think that’s a great idea.”
Frisby says he came up with the idea for Fundraise Fridays because he has been trying to find ways in which he can become part of the Lake Cowichan community.
“I struggled to become part of the community last year,” he said. “And just thought of ways I can get to know some of the people around here and become involved with the community.
“I noticed that Lake Cowichan doesn’t always cash in from the tubers that come in here,” he adds. “You know, they come here and they leave straight away.”
Frisby will have a clean-up crew picking up garbage from in the river every Sunday during August. This initiative was started last year, but Frisby says it has not been busy enough this year to warrant doing it through July. They focus their attention between the launch site at the Tube Shack and Little Beach.
Frisby, Sanddar, and Vaast discussed the idea of having another fundraiser day for the food bank in August, but nothing is definite as of yet.
The next scheduled Fundraiser Friday will be on August 10 for Cowichan Lake Community Services.
Remember that each tube rental on these Fridays means a percentage will be donated to the featured not-for-profit.
For more information about the program, contact Frisby at the Tube Shack at 250-510-7433.