Watching local professional freeriders Brandon Semenuk and Alex Prochazka fly down Whistler Mountain at Crankworx can make your stomach do flips, because they do. Locals can also flip the Whistler Food Bank some tricks by supporting Foodworx this weekend.
For the second year in a row, Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) has flipped a new food-based social program onto the Crankworx trail network, raising money and food donations for the food bank at a crucial time of the year. WCSS will be hosting the annual Foodworx event from Aug. 11 to 14. The event started last year as a partnership between the Whistler Centre for Sustainability and WCSS to generate awareness about community resources and to gather donations to the local food bank.
August is generally a time when donations are low and this event was created as an initiative to keep the shelves stocked in anticipation for Whistler’s traditional “shoulder seasons.” This year it is even more important to stock the shelves, as it has been an extremely busy year for the WCSS Food Bank.
With a changing economy and fewer job opportunities, the local food bank has served more people from January to August than it served in all of 2009. The Food Bank served 1,216 people in 2009 and has already served more than 1,288 individuals in 2010. The $10,000 donated by the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation has been spent and the points at Nesters Market are running out. WCSS is happy to coordinate the second annual event of Foodworx as the need for donations is even more urgent this year.
Local businesses have gotten on board to assist with sponsorship, raffle prize donations and also participation in the Foodworx Workplace Challenge. Local workplaces set up food bank donation boxes from Aug. 6 to 13 to see who can raise the most donations by weight for the chance to win a two-hour backcountry tour generously donated by Canadian Snowmobile Adventures.
“Foodworx is a great opportunity for businesses to have a little fun while increasing awareness for an important community need,” says Greg McDonnell, WCSS executive director.
Community members are encouraged to drop off cans at the following Foodworx business challenge locations: The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Creekbread, Creekside Market, Delta Whistler Village Inn and Suites, Whistler Real Estate Company, Remax Sea to Sky Realty, The Westin Resort and Spa, The Whistler Question, RCMP, Pan Pacific Whistler, Municipal Hall, Meadow Park Sports Centre and The Hilton Whistler Resort and Spa.
The WCSS Foodworx tent can be found on the village stroll in front of Ingrid’s Café as part of the Crankworx Festival from Wednesday through Sunday (Aug. 11 to 14). Community members and visitors are invited to come by the tent to learn more about various community resources, and to provide cash or can donations to enter a raffle for grand prizes from: Ziptrek, Sushi Village, Wild Play, and a sailboat tour for six on the Miss Jane II. Daily raffle giveaways from Creekbread and Whistler Blackcomb are planned as well. Families are also encouraged to drop by for face painting by donation on Friday (Aug. 13).
For any additional information please contact Sara Jennings Whistler Food Bank Coordinator at foodbank@mywcss.org or (604) 935-7717.
