Donated food haul to benefit region

AN ANNUAL food drive that has delivered nearly $50,000 in donated food to the Greater Geelong region has again been hailed as a huge success.

Kiwanis Club of Geelong organiser Graeme Munro and the club co-ordinated with seven Geelong community groups towards a semi-trailer loaded with food valued at $47,333 as part of the organisation’s yearly Food Relief Program.

The semi-trailer arrived at Geelong Food Relief Centre from Shepparton last week.

“We wouldn’t be doing this if it didn’t fall in line with the values Kiwanis have, specifically our organisation here in Geelong,” Mr Munro said.

“The central element behind everything we do as a service organisation is community, to be able to help the community each year in this way is just terrific.

“There’s a fair bit of work that goes into this and it doesn’t just happen overnight, but we wouldn’t be doing it unless we didn’t see the worth in doing it.”

Kiwanis International was formed in Detroit, USA in 1915, with the word Kiwanis stemming from a Native American word translating to ‘we build’.

It is the third-largest volunteer community service organisation in the world, behind Rotary and Lions.

The Kiwanis Club of Geelong was created in 1972 and has been conducting the food drive for more than 30 years.

This year’s food drive was made possible by Shepparton Preserving Company, which provided the semi-trailer transport.

Every dollar of produce bought by community groups is matched by Kiwanis Geelong, who solely donated $21,663.

Community groups to receive a portion of this year’s food drive include Geelong Food Relief Centre, St Vincent de Paul Society, Christ Church Food Kitchen, Uniting Barwon, One Hope Community Care’s Meals Program, Foundation 61 and Gateway Stronger Communities.

Kiwanis Geelong member Graham Mould said this year’s food haul weighed about 15 tonnes, a massive increase compared to three decades ago.

“When this initiative first started here in Geelong, members would just bring a couple cans of beans to the club and one of our other members would deliver the food to one of these organisations – that’s where we found out how in-need our organisations were,” he said.

“We got in touch with Heinz and Nestle early on and received a $1000 donation and from there the food drive grew and grew and grew to where we are today.

“It’s quite remarkable.”

Kiwanis Geelong holds dinner meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 6.30pm at the RSL in Belmont. Visitors and new members are welcome.

For more information, phone club secretary Chrissie Puls on 0419 501 725.