Expect a knock at your door soon

By Vernon Daily Courier staff Thursday, November 30, 2006
http://www.dailycourier.ca/article_757.php
More than 200 realtors will be canvassing Vernon and the North Okanagan next Wednesday and it has nothing to do with selling your home.Next week is the 29th annual food drive organized by Vernon and area realtors to benefit the Salvation Army food bank. Last year residents donated more than 11 tonnes of food and organizers are expecting donations to exceed that mark this year.“This year we are looking to beat that record,” said realtor George Yamada. Yamada said realtors will be leaving bags on doorsteps the night before to remind residents to donate some non-perishable food items. On Dec. 6 starting at 5 p.m. realtors will go from house to house and pick up the food-filled bags.“If we happen to miss a house phone any realty office and they can come by and pick up the food,” he said.This is the 17th year that Yamada has been a part of the food drive. He said it’s a great opportunity to do something good for the community.“I know the fellow who started (the food drive) originally and it’s just snowballed from there,” he said. “People in the community have been very generous.”After nearly three decades, the food drive has become a major staple of the food bank’s provisions. Yamada said the donations help the Salvation Army get started for the busy Christmas season.“This is one of the major food drives for the Salvation Army so they really depend on our drive,” he said. “It’s a way to get their shelves stocked up for the winter.”Yamada said it takes a lot of volunteers to make the event successful. He said the event has become so large that now local bankers, mortgage brokers and their families also help out by going to door.In addition to the Vernon drive, realtors will be collecting food door to door in Armstrong, Enderby and Lumby for their own food banks on Dec. 6. In Parker Cove and Desert Cove, residents will be going to door to door and contributing whatever food is donated to the Salvation Army food drive.For more information contact Rob Shaw or George Yamada at 545-5371.