Carried by students and teachers, Operation Donation into 10th year
Operation Donation, the schools-based food drive for Winnipeg Harvest, heads into its tenth year in 2009 and organizers hope to set new records for donations.
“We would like to see every student in the province participate,” says teacher Frank Restall, who has spearheaded the initiative in all but one year of its history. “That is our ultimate goal.”
In the drive’s first year, four schools participated. In 2008, 100 schools were involved and helped bring in 110,000 pounds of food. That was a significant portion of the 280,000 that has been donated over Operation Donation’s 10-year history.
The drive is held during a single week in March, during which students at participating schools are asked to bring in a single food item each.
Once the schools’ totals are weighed, Peak of the Market matches the donations pound for pound. The Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation also sponsors the drive and collects food within its organization.
The week-long drive in 2009 will be held March 2 to 6.
The Manitoba Teachers’ Society began helping Operation Donation two years ago, informing and urging teachers and schools to become involved in the effort.
Restall says the Society’s involvement helped double the number of schools participating from 50 to 100.
“It’s just been amazing, the support of MTS and individual teachers and students from all over the province,” says Restall, adding that he hopes more schools from outside Winnipeg will consider participating.
For more information phone Winnipeg Harvest at 982-3666 or register online here.
