For 22 years Operation Food Lift has been helping feed the needy in Red Deer.
Sky Wings Aviation Academy held its annual food drive for the Red Deer Food Bank on Sept. 25 at the Red Deer Regional Airport.
For a $25 cash donation visitors enjoyed a bird's-eye view of the city.
“It was a great event and a beautiful day,” said Dennis Cooper, chief executive officer of Sky Wings Aviation Academy. “It's a chance to see wonderful Central Alberta in all its fall colours.
“We flew people as old as 92 and as young as one month old,” he added of the daylong event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cooper said there were 99 flights over the city that day and a total of 276 people that took in the 20-minute plane ride over Red Deer. A total of eight pilots volunteered their time to fly visitors and several ground crew members also pitched in and donated their time for the event.
In addition, the Red Deer Food Bank held a yard sale inside Sky Wings Aviation hangar and a barbecue outdoors.
The fundraising event was a record-setting day, said Cooper.
“By the time we were done we set a record. We raised $14,000 for the Red Deer Food Bank,” said Cooper. “The Red Deer Food Bank not only supports Red Deer but it supports Penhold and even people from Innisfail. It helps the whole area.
“All the funds that we collected go directly to the Red Deer Food Bank,” he added, noting food donations were also collected in addition to money.
Over the last 22 years the event has raised between $180,000 and $200,000 for the Red Deer agency.
“People have come out and supported it year after year after year. We've never cancelled it,” said Cooper. “It's always been the last Sunday of September.”
Cooper said the long-running event first began because of the need in the city and surrounding area, a fact that is more evident today.
“This year the Red Deer Food Bank has already served two and a half times more people than they did the previous year,” explained Cooper. “There's a number of Albertans hurting and a number of Albertans who need food.”
He noted the hard work of other non-profit organizations in the area that help feed the needy, including the Innisfail and District Food Bank.
“When you look at Albertans in need and how they are struggling today, a gift (of $25) to the Red Deer Food Bank can go a long way.”
Dennis Cooper, CEO of Sky Wings Aviation Academy
"This year the Red Deer Food Bank has already served two and a half times more people than they did the previous year. There's a number of Albertans hurting and a number of Albertans who need food."
