As you get ready to pack up all your essentials to enjoy the Peters Bros. Grand Parade on Saturday, Aug. 6, the Salvation Army Food Bank would like you to keep them in mind.
“We are asking the community to bring non-perishable food items with them to the parade to help fill the shelves of the food bank. If everyone brings a few items to donate, or wants to donate financially, it can make a major impact to the food bank which is in dire need,” said Penticton Peach Festival president Don Kendall.
The Salvation Army will be picking up donations along the parade route after a summer surge of those using the food banks services has caused them to almost run out of everything, according to Alan Madsen, community ministries director for the Salvation Army.
“Demand is up right now by about 35 to 40 per cent. Penticton is a generous community and we will take anything that people can give right now. Any non-perishable pasta, sauce, canned soups, juice boxes, canned fruit and vegetables,” said Alan Madsen, community ministries director for the Salvation Army.
Madsen hopes food donated on Saturday will help them stretch their dollars to help more people.
“We’re a non-profit, so when we buy the food, we are trying to find it at the best possible prices. We don’t have to buy what is donated to us, the money then helps spread the food even further. We’re happy to do it and we are just here to help with the people in need,” he said.
The Peach Festival Peters Bros. Grand Parade begins at 10 a.m. on Main Street and Eckhardt Avenue, then turns left on Wade Avenue, right on Winnipeg Street and left on Lakeshore Drive, ending at the Rose Garden car park. The cross streets will be barricaded with volunteers at every intersection on the parade route to ensure traffic is properly routed. Parking is not permitted anywhere on the parade route. Vehicles found on the route will be towed by Penticton Towing to 325 Power St. (Community Centre parking lot).
