OLDS — This year’s annual food bank drive on behalf of the Mountain View Food Bank collected a total of 8,321 pounds of food as of the morning of Sept. 28, worth $20,802.50, according to Mark Proctor, an organizer.
That's down from last year when a total of 9,052 pounds of food was collected.
At press time, it was unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic was a factor in the amount collected this year.
Of that figure, 5,473 pounds of food worth a total of $13,682.50 was donated by Olds residents.
Another 2,848 pounds of food worth a total of $7,120 was provided by Carstairs residents.
The food bank also received a cheque for $500.
This year, a partnership was struck between the food bank, The Albertan and Dairy Queen in Olds.
A plea for donations and instructions on how to do so were printed on plastic bags. Dairy Queen paid for that.
Copies of The Albertan were placed in those bags and delivered to households by paper carriers.
Bags filled with food were then collected by volunteers Saturday on behalf of the food bank.
Proctor is with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Olds.
