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i4 vwariirtiixt(2iirtomu£ - Wednesday, October ti. 2014 I I . C a Fire Chref shares his story of being helped by Food Bank _ . BYBoanmc fig” Mayor's Oktoberfest Waterloo Fire Chief Richard Hepditch knew just how Luncheon 06L 9 personal a story he was sharing when he got up in _ front of an audience marking the 30th anniversary of the lain Waterloo Mayor Brenda Halloran and Food Bank of Waterloo Region and told them he knows how xterm “(at 032201 in theyleb kickoff? [Steinmet- important the service is. ‘ te O o estce rationswr t eannual That's because over a 10-year period growing up he was a . Mayor’s Oktoberfest Luncheon. Oct. 9. 11:39 am. to i regular user of the local emergency food hamper program 1 pm. a! theWaterloo public square . l as his mom. Joanne, struggled to feed three growing sons The sausags Will be free, courtesy of Pillets. and 5 after a marriage break-ups Onkel Hans, Miss Oktoberfest and. the Black Forest ! "Basically, somebody said you've come out." said Hep- a Band W1“ be on hand (0 entertain and greet the ' ditch. "l didn't really look at it like that. but some of my close public at this-annual eVenb . friends didn’t even know and some called me." For more informatron‘vrstt www.0ktoberfest.ca. " lie was one of the most high profile former users of the local Food Bank to come forward and share their personal The 36th annualBam‘ experiences about what living with food insecurity is all > about, and how closeted and private it still remains to . A Races set for 0a. ], 1 receive that type of help, , . ‘ ‘ Hepditch said he wanted to take some of the stigma "5 time to r?" out the barrels 383'" 3‘ ":9 36th away from a service that has helped so many people over UPTOW“ Water 00 Great 0 oberfest Barth: Race, the last 30 years Many of the people who have received Oct: 11‘ 10 a.mi ‘0 noon. “"8 Street. tween 1 help are our neighbours. friends and people with a public William maid WillisWay. th 'f F' i profile like himseeslfsta » ‘ cial UpTown aatemgpggvale Sun h a lnan~ l f ()ne “$2."; ges O‘f‘hanfll"; sgaring “'3 story cams F MM"! W emiy W the W First and second place winners will receive rom an o in ergarten rien e a nt seen in years an ire ' rec eto ' . , ‘ who told him of the help he also received from the Food of the Food Bank hydrating his own personal story. {:33 from ”mes/3h" events generous sponsors l Bank Mohave udlhg prawn erloo bt‘ 151m , ‘ Hepditch said his story is about recovery The Food Bank Food Bank has evolved with the times in how it provides “Elam Radlonup '3 all“) hosting the 33rd ‘ took away the uncenainty and the worry about where their that help and how it has partnered with community agen- annu free Siktoberfest Fami‘y Breakfast at the I next meal would come from for his family and allowed them tics and food suppliers to meet the need. Waterloo pu c 3903'!!! from 7'30 am. to H atm. . l to focus on the opportunities they had to change their cir- “We aren't the same Food Bank we were 30 years ago but Th" popular PM" eatures "Fe pancakes and cumstances as they got back on their feet. were still ensuring that people don't go hungry when those sausages and '5 prepared by cu inlary "um“ at "lt is a story of recovery because my family was depend life circumstances hit them." said (kimpbell as they prepare Conestoga college and served by ocal radio per- ; em on food assistance at that time and we were also on for the annual Thanksgiving appeal to the community and sonaliues f . , . social assistance back then,” said Hepditch. “Today. I'm the ()nkel Hans Food Drive where they’ll collect food along H" mm in ormation V's" www.0ktoberfutca married. I have three kids l’m happy and healthy and can the parade route of the annual Oktoberfest Thanksgiving support my family, and can do things i never thought id be Parade on Oct. 13 o I able to do without that help." While new technologies and new partnerships have ush ThanksgiVlng parade The ZiOth anniversary event was also ii reminder of the ered the Food Bank into the digital tiger the [H‘t’d still i f 0c 13 permanency of the program, The Food Bank started as a remains pretty basit set or to ‘ temporary solution to a growing local need and to till a gap “ [here are so many things that .it'ft-tt people \ ll\‘('\ ‘ _ V , ( ) ~ . in the social safety net. whether it he family illness. ioh his» bad investment or i Iht‘vgfitgffnl[3:231Jgffiafig‘fllmrfllw:r ‘ "in 1984 we distributed 60,000 pounds of food to six marriage break up. there are so many things that lead poo P _ , y . . ‘8 R w , . _ ,. tirade (k1 H, starting at 8.30 am. at Fm Street in l agenctes. said Wendi ( dittpl)t‘ll, the executive director of pie to need support and help from the «(immunity said ‘ W" , , y W . ‘ . _ , . _ . A ‘ an rloo and (ran lling down King Street through . the Food Bank. last year we did .1 3 million pounds of food (ampbell. We ve all been helping our neighbours for years i to (“13’ Street In downtown Kitchener i to more-tha’r‘i 80 again iesfi so witv‘vt- WIT some dr-t’jinthte and years”. we Just added the Food Flank name to that it) [here m” be bands. floats and .many other ‘ growth In I 8 nu mam It!) Pillsbury“. m It WSW; f_ “‘3‘“ 380M“ _ j _ f k _ ’f 1 I 1 . l attractions thrtlnkel Hans Food Drive will also ht- amount-of food we istri on an in qua I!) o on m amp sait om o [H ‘ldrl est i tings to ((I l\ to git ‘ collecting ftxxidonations along the route. prOVIdc, somebody to share their story of rei ovcry. especially some For more information on (’anada's hi ‘ V . ggt at It has become a permanent pillar of the community and one as high profile as liepditch, [hanksgiving “mm“ “m www Oktoberfest ca . a way in helping people who have fallen on hard times The (manned on [“09 I6 ‘ ' ‘ ‘ ‘ l , l