Friday, October 31, 2008

This year's decorations ...


We decorated M's yard this year.

Scenes from Today ...

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Noahkila and a less than enthusiastic
costumed FLUTE.
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Noahkila and I with the cake Beetle helped create.
It was my second cake for the day ...
my co-workers shared one with me at a fabulous lunch out
that we took together.

A Close up of the cake:
.
Flute looking like she's being eaten by a giant green lizard:






Today's Horoscopes ...

From the Facebook Chinese horoscope:

"You can be a powerful speaker right now, especially when you are pounding the table on political matters, or waxing eloquent about the latest adventures of your favorite movie stars. Try to put some of that energy to use in career-building projects."

From the Facebook Astrology Scorpio Horoscope:

"Your workplace is about to undergo a dramatic series of changes, likely due to some investment in communications or networking devices. If you work at home, you could be buying a new computer or signing up for a new Internet account. Regardless, you'll have much better connections when the day is done."

From today's newspaper horoscope:

"You're too wise to complain. Complaining is a waste of time, energy, and breath. This is your lot and you're going to make the best of it. Actually you're quite brilliant when you get down to it."

And from today's birthday in the newspaper:

"Your bright outlook makes it easier for you to see your way this year. Past trials are over and you look forward to handling whatever life brings. Before the new year begins there's a creative, though risky business endeavour to consider. Take the only path that's both fun and lucrative."

Today ...

.
I turned 41
and
I am now officially older than my dad
.
It might only be a number,
but to me it IS significant.
.

Welcome to the Family ...

Today in the midst of a whirling flurry of puppy activity that would have left the Tasmanian Devil from Bugs Bunny cartoons breathless in exhaustion, there was a quiet knock at our door and one of the folks from Funds for Furry Friends dropped off the adoption package that made Flute an official member of our family ...

The cries of "FLUTE!!!" "FLUTE!!!!" "FLUTE!!!!!!" from Ms H that marked the morning cast the decision in momentary doubt, but with a sigh, a stretch and an unraised paw all was forgiven ...

Welcome HOME little Dog !!!

Sheesh ...

I haven't posted the comments about the "joke" I played on Noahkila on Sunday ... one calls me a Jerk ... one questions my maturity ... one questions my faith ... and ALL question the appropriateness of the "joke" played on the "boy" ...

Fair enough ... I can take criticism, and I will publically offer an apology to Noahkila, and to those who were offended by the posting ...

HOWEVER, for the record - Noahkila is a 14 year old Boy who can NOW look his 5' 11" father IN THE EYE, and is the SAME physical size as me, and is STILL GROWING ... I would NOT have played the joke on him if I didn't think he would appreciate it, and if there was any risk of harm to him ... it was for the shock factor ... and clearly some question the appropriateness of it ... and I'll accept that.

And I will again apologize to Noahkila for it ... and I hear the comment from one reader who suggests that I should now watch my back, something I do - payback's a bitch !!

Happy Halloween !!!!!

This is one of my favourite Halloween Songs, and thanks to Youtube, I found a version with Cary Grant doing the Mash ... can't go wrong ...

Born On October 31st ...

John Keats - 1795
Dale Evans - 1912
Dan Rather - October 31st
David Ogden Stiers - 1942
Jane Pauley - 1950
Peter Jackson - 1961
Rob Schneider - 1963

and of course:

John Candy - 1950

Now as a present to MYSELF, here is a John Candy sketch from Sesame Street
"I'm seeing and hearing, but BOY I'm NOT believing ...":



For ME ...

... and for Indigo too !!!

A blast from Halloweens past ...

.
Back in the mid-80's my uncle grew MASSIVE pumpkins on the farm not far from Stratford ... one year he gave me one as a birthday present. We had to hollow it out BEFORE we could load it in the back of my car and drive it into town ... then I carved it into the BIGGEST Jack O'Lantern I've ever had:
.

And just so you can see how BIG it was I've included the picture of a more youthful, hirsuite me kneeling beside it at the front of my mom's house:

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!!!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The amusement of small things ...

Yesterday Noahkila and I spent sometime moving boxes of books into the basement, and getting other books on the shelves in the Study/Noahkila's room at my little house ...

He lugged, with great difficulty a couple of VERY VERY heavy boxes down the stairs as I piled more at the top of the steps ... He complained about the weight of the boxes and commented that he could be crushed if he wasn't careful on the stairs ...

I stacked two very large and very heavy boxes of books at the top of the stairs, then found three very large and VERY EMPTY boxes which I then placed on top of the first two ... As Noahkila came up the stairs and saw the looming pile of boxes to be moved he said - "you can't be serious."

"Oh it won't be that bad ..." and as I spoke I knocked the top three boxes DOWN the stairs !!

I WISH I had a camera in town to record the look of absolute HORROR that washed over Noahkila's face as the three boxes tipped down the stairs towards him ... he shrieked - "Nnnnnooooo!!!!" and reached out to block the falling cardboard ...

The look of horror then changed quickly to surprise and relief as the EMPTY boxes bounced into his outstretched arms ... Looking up at me he tried to reclaim the cool teen persona as he said flatly - "YOU SUCK!!!!" ... for my part I was doubled over with laughter ...

Noahkila doesn't share my contention that it was an immensely hilarious practical joke ... although he does smile at the recollection, and methinks his "ha ha, it was hilarious," belies an enjoyment of a good practical joke, even if HE was the butt of it ...

That's why I love my boy ... he knows how to take a joke !!!!
.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

SAY it AIN'T so !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



The CBC headline "No Laughing Matter: Satirical Magazine FRANK folds" caught my attention ...


While I'm not a subscriber to FRANK magazine, for a time in the mid-90's a friend repeatedly supplied me with a number of his back issues of the irreverent, hilarious and cutting edge magazine ... I LOVED IT. They made you think and made you laugh simultaneously ... often they could both offend and entertain in the same breath too.


Frank was a breath of fresh air in a world dripping with Reagan-omics, the Mulroney era and all the brutal silliness that era represented ... it changed and adapted and continued on through the 90's and the Aughts, ending its print run with the current issue ... Though I haven't read an entire issue in quite sometime, I for one will mourn its passing ... FRANK was willing to say what others might think, and it was willing to take chances no one else would ... I have respect for that, both in politics and in religion ...


What the world needs is MORE Frank Magazines, not less ...


I'm sorry to see it go ... no doubt Brian and the rest of the Mulroney clan aren't sorry to see it's demise, nor Mike Duffy either ...

You can make a difference ...

My childrens' story on Sunday was about how to show and share our love for the people around us ... in addition to using a quotation by Martin Luther King about the three forms of love found in his 1967 Christmas Sermon on Peace, I refered to Mother Theresa's quotation "we can do no great things, just small things with great love" and encouraged the children to consider the small ways we can show our love ...

Christian entertainer Randy Stonehill summarized it well, when back in the mid80's he offered his song "We Are His Hands" in response to the famine in Africa that spawned "Do They Know it's Christmas," "We are the world," and "Tears are NOT enough" that I featured previously.

Stonehill's recording has been refered to previously here (click here), and remains a powerful call to faithful action ...

Stonehill's words are:

"But we are His hands
We are His voice
We are the ones who must
make the choice
And if it isn't now,
tell me when?
If it isn't you, then tell me
who will save the children?

Building on the concept of putting our faith into action, I offered the sermon posted over at Meditative Moments ... click here to check it out.

Shalom and Sala'am

Sunday, October 26, 2008

A Look Back and a Reminder to MAKE A DIFFERENCE !!!!

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The ORIGINAL:


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The slightly arrogant American response (the full 7 minute + version):
.

.
and the beautiful Canadian Northern Lights' offering:
.


It's hard to believe it's been over 24 years since these songs were written ... and yet, the problem of hunger, poverty and homelessness remains ...

WE CAN AND MUST DO MORE !!!!!

Even in the teeth of an economic meltdown, we have MORE than enough to share and help one another ... like they say - "tears are NOT enough !!"

May it be so ...

Friday, October 24, 2008

it was not my fault ...

Last night at Brandon's funky and independent little bookstore, Pennywise Books on Rosser, owner/operator Keith invited his customers (and the public) to come to a book reading by Winnipeg author, Michael Van Rooy, who began by reading from his latest book "Your Friendly Neighbourhood Criminal"

Following the reading came the usual question and answer period with the small handful of people present, then over coffee (Fair Trade of course !!), a casual conversation ensued that was described by Keith as "visiting" ... it was an evening well spent.

The reading was entertaining, and lead to the purchase of Michael's books for reading this fall ... but more importantly, as the conversation turned to criminal activity, Michael, and those present encouraged me to write the story of the criminal acts that dramatically altered the trajectory of my life and left a wake of debris and unresolved grief across a broad swath of Western Manitoba ...

This morning I awoke with the realization that the story needs to be told ... and my journey to wholeness will never be fully realized until I share the truth about what has happened, instead of letting the toxic lies and manipulations continue to prevail ...

Today standing outside in the pre-dawn darkness with Flute, waiting for her to stop playing in the leaves and do her morning business, I felt more strongly than EVER before the yearning to write ... and the story of what happened in Minnedosa began to tell itself within me ...

Snippets and echoes of what happened, and the hell that was unleashed in a quiet prairie town began to roil within me ... voices whispered and cried out ... scenes unfolded and the stage was set ... this morning the pen is poised over the blank parchment, and the story is ready to unfold ...

The only challenge now is to find the time and space to record it ...

Stay tuned ...
.
.


What I've Been Up to Lately ...

Last Wednesday, October 15th I helped to organize and run a trade show of service provider agencies and groups in Brandon that highlighted the work they do, and the supports and services they offer to the community.

Organized in conjunction with Westman Immigrant Services, the day long event brought together approximately 25 agencies from the community and offered the public the opportunity to come and learn more about them, while offering the groups and agencies the chance to sit and chat amongst themselves and engage in some vital networking opportunities that are sometimes hard to come by in our busy-ness ...

To read more about the event check out my latest contribution to The Wheat City Journal by clicking here.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Cool Promotions ...

As a news junkie I read a dozen stories a day that I pause to consider blogging on ... I could fill my postings with the latest strange news item, or the latest political nonsense, but instead I generally read the items, shake my head and move on ...

Today though, I found a story that BEGGED to be commented on ... The British Legion has created a Remembrance Day mascot called Poppy Man. He has a site on Facebook and if you google-image search him you'll come up with more than a couple of pics of him ...

The story on CBC was titled: "Poppy Man tours war zone to launch Remembrance Day Appeal" it caught my attention simply because it did ... nothing flashy, nothing glamourous - just a simple head line that made me say - "Huh? I wonder what that's about ..."

I'm intrigued ... I've asked to become a friend of Poppy Man on Facebook, and I've been reading some of the other stories about him ... and what I like is the simple reason for creating him - they were looking for something to promote the poppy that wasn't a celebrity, and that highlighted the reason for wearing the little red flower !!

How cool is THAT ???

Check out Poppy Man's BLOG by clicking here !!

Check out the NEWS from the Royal British Legion by clicking here !!

and check out some of the posters with Poppy Man by clicking here !!

Good Morning Flute ...

And so the day began at our house at 6am ... Flute had her first run outside for the day, then a hearty breakfast that didn't seem to be chewed but simply inhaled followed by a climb up the stairs to play in Ms H's room - much to the chagrine of her precious kitty Chrysanthemum who has assumed a perpetual state of "hiss and spit" towards the puppy ...

An hour later, a thoroughly tuckered out little Flute collapsed on the couch for a sleep:


No doubt dreaming of more adventures in her new home ... though I'm sure she also misses her little brother and their canine companions at the Foster Home ...

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

And our orchestra gains a Flute ...


A little over a week ago Ms H. found a listing
had been taken into rescue by Brandon's
an organization that brought our rough collie Callie
into our lives four years ago.
..
Ms. H. began a heavy lobbying campaign
to adopt "at least ONE" of the puppies ...
Tonight, she and I drove over and welcomed into the
orchestra that is our family another dog ...
... a 12 week old girl puppy named:
FLUTE !!
..
So, the lovely and personable Flute joins
canine members Callie and Journey, who live at M's house,
and feline members Chloe, Diesel and Chrysanthemum,
and rounding out the ensemble is the rodent member Oreo.
(Chrysanthemum and Flute will keep me company in my little house)
--
Tonight Flute met the other members of the orchestra
and so far the welcome has been warm with
lots of sniffing, lots of kissing and a little bit of growling.
with a face like this,
the music she plays in our hearts
will be sweet indeed !!!

FOUND 'EM !!!!!!

The tinned candies from my childhood were Taveners ... the fruit drops were my fav ... for more info check out this link: click here

The next step is finding somewhere THAT SELLS THEM !!!!

Living in the moment ...


,
"I'm late, I'm late ..." thus the White Rabbit from Alice's adventures is indelibly etched in our collective conscience ... dashing into the scene, he holds his pocket watch announcing that he has put his well being at risk by his tardiness ...
,
In our modern society we tend to be ruled by a tyrannical devotion to the clock - scheduling our meetings and events with minute by minute precision ... and our stress levels rise accordingly ...
,
Yesterday I had a scheduled happening in the middle of the morning, and had planned the rest of my day around it ... there was time to get a number of things done both before and after, and with time off from work, no worries about my time being pressured by other factors ... BUT then at 6:25 a text informed me that my mid-morning appointment would have to be delayed due to circumstances beyond the control of myself and my texting friend ...
,
"No worries," I replied, "things will work out ..."
,
And in that moment I stepped into the "NOW" and stayed focused and present to the present moment and what it offered ...
,
Could I do anything about the delay?
"NO"
Could I change anything by fretting over it?
"NO"
Would getting angry or frustrated do anything?
"NO"
,
I awaited further details from my friend, and began planning for the end of the day to ensure the kids wouldn't miss out on their appointments and commitments lest I couldn't get back to Brandon on time ...
,
Looking back on the day my mid-morning commitment moved to the middle of the afternoon and in the process my day was filled with opportunities that would not have availed themselves to me had the original planned schedule been realized ...
,
I got ALL of the laundry done before heading out the door ... I got my dishes washed and put away ... I swept my kitchen and living room (a chore that was DESPERATELY NEEDED) ... and I had an unexpected phone call from a now-grown member of a youth group I lead back in BC, who filled me in on the arrival of his son less than a month ago, and news of his now 2 year old daughter ...
,
As I hung up the phone and got ready to head into Winnipeg with a plan of shopping and poking around at a couple of stores I wanted to visit, I realized that none of the things I had accomplished would have happened had the original plan prevailed ... Instead of being stressed out over things I couldn't control, I took the advice of Eckhart Tolle, and stayed present to the moment, and lived in the NOW ... I enjoyed the moment and rolled with what would be and filled my day with many wonderful moments of laughter, friendship, conversation and PURE UNADULTERATED JOY.
,
Who could really ask for any more ???
,
My day started with an early text bearing what could be regarded as bad news ... in that moment I could have opted to be like the White Rabbit and fret my way through out the day ... instead though, I took a deep breath, I stayed present to the moment and had a wonderful day from beginning to end ... and for ALL of THAT I am very very thankful ...
,
May you have a day JUST LIKE IT !!!
The key is being present to the moment !!??

Nostalgic trip continues ...

Any body else remember the "super ball" ??

This week I have an assortment of super-bouncy balls, or vending machine super balls as they are commonly called ... this morning in the kitchen I played catch with Ms H.'s cat Chrysanthemum ... then at work I bounced one of them around while letting my brain work through some stuff ...

Like yesterday's quest for candy ... my brain recalled the many super balls I've had over the years ... I once even owned a real black coloured Wham-O Super ball in addition to the bright red, the clear with sparkles, and a HUGE number of the little one inch superballs bought for a quarter from a vending machine, usually in the entrance way of the grocery store ...

Bring out a super ball and you get one of two reactions: a smile of recollection as those around you recall thier own memories of such frivilous fun and who enjoy the unfettered moment, OR a frown of disapproval ... so far at work the smiles have prevailed ... one co-worker commented - "I used to do THAT in my mom's kitchen, and it drove her nuts ..."

Such is the joy of the super ball !!!!

Sometimes bouncing a superball around the office brings a little bit of fun and frivolity and we all need a little more of BOTH !!!

Click here to see a tribute site on superballs !!!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

This past weekend Beetle got a WHACK of tootsie roll pops as presents for her "birthday", she has generously shared them with me each time I've been up to M's house ... my jacket currently has two cherry flavoured pops nestled safely inside and I enjoyed another this evening ...

As I was savouring the tootsie roll pop my mind wandered into some dusty old files and recalled the cardboard barrels that used to stand at the end of grocery check out aisles ... the ones with the little Scottish boy festooned across their surface, and filled with bundles of Kerr lollipops ... my favourites were the black licorise flavoured ones and the red cherry flavoured ... I would eat the other coloured flavours first and enjoy the black and red one's last ... and yes, before anyone says it - I ALSO EAT MY RED SMARTIES LAST ... I always have !!

But the recollection of the Kerr Lollipops got me thinking about OTHER candy from my youth ... there were the soft Kerr Toffees at Great Aunt Zipporah's, the hard candy humbugs and fruit drops in tins at Grandma and Grandpa's and licorise all-sorts and pretzils on the coffee table at Audery's ... my childhood was filled with a HUGE variety of candies and treats ... I've mused before about the Halloween Kisses that MUST be part of my seasonal enjoyment ...

Tonight though I'm on a nostalgic walk down a confectionary memory lane ... if only I could remember the name of the company who made the tinned candies ...

Monday, October 20, 2008

Sometimes as you look forward, you pause to look back and see where the path has lead you, and it helps guide you on the path that lies ahead ... Today I had the opportuntiy to reflect on the past and future as I gave thanks for the present.

M and I have established two households in Brandon, and in the process have been able to create a civil and caring space for both of us to interact with one another, and for both of us to remain involved parents in the lives of our children ... and for that civility I am thankful. We may not be able to live together, but by remaining friends we have not dishonoured the 15 years of marriage, memories and life we shared prior to our seperation.

Today though I picked up a book at her house and began reading ... the book was :

I've reflected on the writings of Dr Mate previously when I discovered his book Scattered Minds, that wrestles with the many issues involved in ADD, something that is near and dear to my heart. But in this book, along with Dr Neufeld, Mate offers some timely reflection on parenting, and helping teens address and overcome the challenges of peer attachment (a deeper more persuasive and perhaps more dangerous form of peer pressure).

Mate and Neufeld offer powerful perceptions of the forces modern teens must confront and live with as they move through the world. Identifying bullying as a symptom of a wounded soul, and seeing the early on-set of sexuality among teens as an attempt to find the fulfillment that a healthy family with appropriate attachment makes entirely too much sense. The commodification of sex across the breadth of our society has taken something profoundly intimate and made it into a simple physical act devoid of love and care. It only makes sense that teens living in homes that lack respectful love and unconditional care would opt to find solace for the ache they feel in the "arms" of their peers.

As I read Mate and Neufeld's words I reflected back on the time I spent with each of my children and can say that I learned early enough in their lives to prioritize what was truly important. Board and committee meetings could wait, and functions where my children were not welcome, were not functions I needed to attend. Far from being perfect, I realize that I indeed missed too many birthday parties and school presentations earlier in thier lives because I had erroneously placed my job as minister ahead of my life as parent. Thankfully, the last two years have taught me that at the end of the day our job will pass away, but our place in our families is eternal.

As I watch my growing children move into the world and claim their independence, I can only hope that they are able to face and address peer attachment in a healthy and wholesome way. M and I have tried to be good parents to all three of our children, and to be present in their lives in healthy and affirming ways. Making a point of having our evening meals together, even now, has meant that the events of the day are discussed, argued and laughed over ... but more importantly, our children have a place to safely discuss what's happening in their lives and their world.

I hear daily the sad stories of children who lose thier way, and the struggle of parents who no longer know who thier kids are ... hearing Mate and Neufeld's words, I realize that too often parents are too busy, too selfish or too self-involved to spend time, energy and emotion on being present to their children in healthy ways. Time taken over a meal is a start ... time spent in conversation, or playing a silly board game is a continuation of what's important ... but being open to heart to heart conversations about the issues of the heart that are involved in growing up and finding one's way in the world is the core of a healthy life that can face and overcome peer attachment with minimal lasting damage to the young people who may erroneous chose a path of bullying or promiscuity to feed the aching hunger that lies within ...

Talking to your kids is a good start ... taking the time to really listen to what they are feeling and saying is the path to a successful and healthy relationship with them ... It may mean setting our own priorities aside, and having the courage to own up to our mistakes and our errors, but in the long run the relationship we build with our children will be undergirded with love and respect, and that alone will help our teens grow into healthy adults ...

Today I'm thankful for the children in my life, and I feel humbled by them and the joy they bring to my life ... and I realize I may not say THAT often enough to THEM ...

Sunday, October 19, 2008

YES!!!! Powell endorses Barack !!!!

Even though he is a Republican, I've always respected Colin Powell, and today my respect for him deepened ... back in 2000, I remember secretly wishing that Powell would have ran for President on behalf of the Republican Party rather than Dubya ... I have always wondered how different the world could have been today if that had happened ...

But today, when Powell came out in support of Barack Obama as President, I could have stood up and applauded ...

From the CBC article on the story:

"But I firmly believe that at this point in America's history, we need a president that will not just continue — even with a new face and with the changes and with some maverick aspects — who will not just continue basically the policies that we have been following in recent years," Powell said.

"I think we need a transformational figure. I think we need a president who is a generational change and that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for Senator John McCain."

That McCain replied by saying that he has the support of four former Republican Secretarys of State including Kissinger, James Baker and Alexander Haig says quite a lot ... wasn't it Haig who crowed - "I'm in charge now," when the news of the assassination attempt on Reagan was being reported ... kind of tells you the type of support Mr McCain has ...

And so we continue to wait:

A WOW moment, on so many levels ...

Just after noon on December 12th (the 12th hour of the 12th day of the 12th month) 1901 Guglielmo Marconi achieved the first successful trans-Atlantic radio broadcast on Signal Hill in St John's Newfoundland, then an independent colony of England.

Yesterday afternoon a text and a phone call were made between two cell phones - one in Brandon Manitoba and one in St John's Newfoundland !! In today's technology saturated world, such a happening is pretty mundane, but had it NOT been for Marconi, today's radio, cell and now digital communication wouldn't be possible ...

I doubt Marconi would have cared that almost 107 years later two friends are able to chat half way across a continent ... I'm sure as he gazed across the cold grey Atlantic Ocean, Marconi's immediate thought was getting somewhere warm and cozy after his crazy experiment was completed ... it was sentiment shared by one half of the modern conversationists !!!

For the moment the mere thought of what is possible with modern technology is truly staggering ... and yet too many people approach such moments with fear ... a sentiment Marconi and his kind dared not entertain, otherwise we'd still be sitting in flickering candlelight reading our books huddling closer to the hearth for warmth ... Technology and change can be a marvelous thing !!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

A Belated Birthday Party ...

Though she turned nine in May,
we spent today celebrating Beetle's birthday
with a party, a trip to the arcade, cake and a sleep over,

Everyone, including an alien and a strange relative

joined in the festivities:

Happy Birthday Miss Beetle,

sorry it was a little late,

but better late than never at all !!

The Cake ...

Ms. H and I tore around town on a quest for
the various items and ingredients needed,
and by 5pm we had it completed and delivered ...

The "birthday girl" and her guests were thrilled:

Splitting a "Malt!???!???!???"

Ms H. and Beetle lay aside their differences long enough to
share a "Malt"
Look closely, it's a very cool gift to Beetle from one of her friends ...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Drive Away Hunger, Brandon Events ...

Today at Earl Oxford School
the kids of the Brandon School Division
presented the Farm Credit Canada folks
with
OVER
4000 lbs of food
for the Drive Away Hunger campaign.

Then an hour later at the parking lot of Heritage Coop on Richmond,

a crowd gathered as the western leg of the campaign

came to an end.

To welcome the organizers was

His Worship, Mayor Dave Burgess, of the City of Brandon,


The Honourable Merv Tweed,

Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris

David Northcott,

Executive Director of Winnipeg Harvest

and others including Marla Somersall,

the Executive Director of Brandon's

Samaritan House Ministries

who were recieving all of the food collected today.

IN ALL, the Manitoba Drive Away Hunger Campaign raised a whooping

200 000 + pounds of food for Food Banks across the Province,

including Samaritan House.

The goal was 100 000 pounds for the whole province !!!

The target was met and surpassed !!!

Unfortunately, with 18 000lbs of food going OUT

of Samaritan House each and every month,

the thousands of pounds of food collected today,

is only a temporary success !!!

The needs increase by the day ... but today,

WORLD FOOD DAY,

we reminded the world, and each other to do MORE!!




World FOOD DAY !!!

TODAY is
World Food Day.
A day to remember those in our world
who do not have enough food.
Unfortunately,
in Canada today,
those who are experiencing food security and access issues,
is a growing demographic.
-----
Today in Brandon Manitoba the
Farm Credit Canada
Drive Away Hunger Campaign
is wrapping up with events throughout the city.
All food collected here in Brandon
will be donated to the work and ministry of
Samaritan House Ministries,
who run a food bank (among other things), and
who partner with Helping Hands to provide
a soup kitchen and a place of care and support,
to those in need.
I have been honoured with the opportunity to speak
at one of the stops ...
... my message is simple:
This is a solvable problem.
In a world of plenty, there is only one excuse for hunger:
GREED.
Stay tuned - more to come ...
I'm off to spend World Food Day,
helping to collect food for my neighbours ...