Curves keeps community healthy
By Andy George
Over 1500 pounds of non-perishable food was collected by Grand Forks Curves members during the month of April for donation to Boundary Community Food Bank. “This is the ninth year Grand Forks Curves has conducted a food drive,” acknowledged Manager Sonya Wood. “This year is special because we collected more food than ever before, and we aren’t finished yet. We have eight more appointments booked with potential clients who qualify for the offer.” The promotion is unique to the month of April for Curves. When a new client registered for membership, they could donate a food item in lieu of a service fee. New members likely heard of it because of the marketing mix utilized to distribute the message. “I give Myrna (Grand Forks Curves owner) a lot of credit. She advertised on two radio stations, in the newspaper, online with the Boundary Sentinel, our open house was well attended, and the ladies night at Pharmasave was successful too. It typically takes someone three times to see a message before considering it, and Myrna hit every angle,” concluded Wood. The groceries will be distributed through the food bank to people in need. “Some of these items were badly needed,” remarked Darwin Benson, a regular volunteer with the food bank. “Peanut butter is a real good one.” Deb Billwiller, president of the organization, estimated that, “$1150 plus $100 in gift cards were donated” through the Curves food drive. However, it’s hard to say how many people it will feed or how many hampers will be produced because, “much of the donations make up the ‘extras’ that are included in the hamper, but don’t account for basic nutritional substance,” explained Billwiller. Coffee is an example of this type of item; it’s nice to have, often donated, yet cannot sustain a person. Conducting a food drive is a great way to gain recognition, while offering something worthwhile to a local cause. For more information about hosting a food drive, communicate with the Boundary Community Food Bank by visiting their website: http://boundarycommunityfoodbank.blogspot.com
