BARRHEAD - It was a welcomed surprise.
On April 25, Barrhead Knights of Columbus grand knight Anthony Oswald presented a $1,795 cheque to the Barrhead and District Family Support's (FCSS) food bank.
The Knights of Columbus is a global Catholic fraternal service order dedicated to the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. They were founded more than 100 years ago in New Haven, Connecticut, by Father Michael J. McGivney.
Food Bank coordinator Savannah Belyk did not know about the presentation until she arrived in the morning.
"It was a wonderful surprise," she said, noting the food bank will hold on to the money until they need to replenish their stocks.
Unfortunately, FCSS executive director Karen Gariepy noted that might be as soon as this summer, despite a very successful community food drive earlier this month.
On April 5, with the help of several not-for-profit organizations, volunteers dropped off grocery bags at Town of Barrhead residences in hopes people would fill them with non-perishable food products and put them outside their door, where the same volunteers would pick them up two days later.
"The food drive brought in over 5,000 pounds of food, which is wonderful," Belyk interjected, adding regrettably, not all the food made it to the foodbank's shelves.
She noted that the food bank had to dispose of about 550 pounds of donations, as some of the canned goods were well past their best-before dates.
Belyk added that the food bank serves more than 200 individuals monthly, including between 60 and 70 children.
Oswald said the Knights of Columbus are actively trying to get out into the community, adding they raised the money through a weekly soup and sandwich lunch every Friday for six weeks over lent at St. Anne's Catholic Parish.
The lent soup and sandwich fundraiser had been a regular staple for the Knights of Columbus, but due to the pandemic, they hit the pause button for two years.
"But now that it's over, we were able to bring it back, and we thank everyone that supported our fundraiser, and we hope to put on other fundraising events to help other worthwhile organizations," he said.
Gariepy echoed that sentiment saying, "They were delicious lunches", and added her thanks to the Knights of Columbus for hosting the fundraiser.
