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e shelves at the Food Bank of 'I‘\};Iaterloo Region haven‘t been this bare in half a decade, says the organization‘s communications "I can honestly say 1 haven‘t seen the shelves this empty in the five and a half years I‘ve been here," said Fred Lehmann. "We have hardly anything." Lehmann said donations are tradiâ€" tionally slow during the summer, given schools are out and many families are away on vacation. But he said the need seems stronger this year as the food bank‘s stock is down about 100,000 lbs. compared to last year at this time. Food bank Timing couldn‘t be better as the food bank kicked off its annual Thanksgiving food drive today, with the help of some ‘Hunger Heroes‘ at Glencairn public school in Kitchener. Students spent the morning filling food bank trucks with over 300 lbs. of food the school collected over the last Lehmann said the school‘s donation has given the food drive momentum to reach its goal of collecting 317,500 lbs. of food before the campaign wraps up "We‘re confident we‘ll reach our goal," he said. "We‘ve received great support from the community in past food drives." "We need people to think about us every day," he said. "People need food * every day, and we deliver to our agenâ€" cies every day. "That would take the pressure off Continued on page 6 You said it 9 But Lehmann hopes public aware ness of the food bank‘s needs contin ues yearâ€"round. _ e WATERLOO CHRONICLE WHAT‘S INSIDE "We‘re definitely ready for a food shelves empty By Anorea Baney _ Chronicle Staff WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2003 + WATERLOO, ONTARIO There was a special Ecoâ€"Festival heid on the west side of Waterioo Saturday to help celebrate local greenâ€" spaasduringCunmwhyhmwm.odr\ghhpanwmmcmwmwmymâ€" ing trees, with help from Shari Waechter. WATERLOO PUBLIC LiBRARY Serving your community since 1856 Digging in the dirt ETE $1 INCLUDING GST Witmer Liberal landslide But the results were a lot closer than four years ago when Witmer outdistanced her nearest competition, Libâ€" eral challenger Sean Strickâ€" land by 9,796 votes. This time the margin was cut down to 1,503 votes as Witmer collectâ€" ed 23,958 votes to Strickdand‘s 22,455. change almost swallowed up the province‘s former deputy premier and minister of eduâ€" cation in an election that saw the Liberals claim 72 out of a possible 103 seats. In the end it claimed other highâ€"profile Tories like former finance minister Janet Ecker and For delivery or cirâ€" culation concerns regarding the Chronicle, please call 623â€"3050, ext. 240. Saturn ION A strong groundswell for Saturn of Kitchener Waterioo 663 Victoria St. N. 7445811 Continued on page 4 13,495