The Killarney and Area Foodbank was the recipient of this week's 'Fuel Good Day' at Boundary Co-op's Killarney gas bar.  

With every fill, 10-cents per litre was donated to three community organizations through Boundary Co-op's annual 'Fuel Good Day'.

The Killarney Food Bank, the Boissevain School Cross Country Ski Club and Deloraine School each benefited from a fill at the pumps or a specific purchase at the C-Store.  Boundary Co-op donated a dollar from the sale of each Co-operative coffee or Big Cool Slush sold at all 3 gas bar locations. 

At the Killarney location specifically, Boundary Co-op supplied all the food needed for a burger, chips and drink lunch combo with Killarney Co-op staff and volunteers ready at the grill to further the Foodbank's fundraising efforts. The local foodbank raised close to $1500 by the end of Tuesday's event.

"We're really appreciative of Boundary Co-op and of all the support they give us throughout the year for the different fundraising and food donation drives," shares Killarney area foodbank treasurer, Marie Jensen.  

"The Killarney and Area Foodbank covers quite a large range of small communities around Killarney, "she adds.  "The closest foodbank to the west is Boissevain, east would be Crystal City and there is one in Glenboro, so we do have quite a big area."

The  Mountain Avenue location is open for food hamper pickup every second Thursday, currently by appointment only.  It averages between 25 and 30 families per distribution, helping both large and smaller families with young children, seniors and those with a fixed income and struggle to make ends meet. 

The number of clients has gone up over the summer, says Jensen. "Usually the summer season is our down season, due to the nature of seasonal work and things like that.  But, it's been going up this year and we expect we'll have a lot more need this Fall due to rising prices and interest rates."

The foodbank has undertaken a few capital projects over the past months, with strong financial support from two very generous local organizations.  HyLife Foods recently donated $40,000 and the Killarney Kinsmen donated $20,000 towards the projects, one of which is the building of a new cold storage unit to properly store fresh produce. Additional capital projects include constructing a new roof and upgrading the building's interior.

"We just want to thank the community of Killarney and surrounding area for all the great support that we've had over the years and we really appreciate all the volunteers and all the food donations and all the support that we get!"

Please listen to more of the interview with Marie Jensen and CJRB's Betty Sawatzky: