MOOSE JAW — Little green army men will be parachuting over 15 Wing Airbase as part of a fundraiser to support Hunger in Moose Jaw’s efforts to provide nutritious food to schoolchildren.
A social committee comprised of employees from contractors Serco and Canadian Base Operators (CBO) are holding an inaugural parachute and pancake day on Wednesday, May 7, at Building 151. Breakfast is from 8 to 11 a.m. and will feature pancakes, sausages and coffee for $10.
Committee members will be selling 50/50 tickets, including $2 per ticket, $5 for three and $10 for seven.
Attendees will also have the chance to purchase a plastic army parachute trooper for $5, which, from 1 to 2 p.m., they can drop from the second level of Building 160 — The Glass Palace — onto a bulls-eye target on the floor.
Those closest to the target will receive a gift card, with first place receiving $100, second place receiving $50 and third place receiving $25.
The social committee is also selling $20 packages, which include breakfast, $10 worth of 50/50 tickets and a free army paratrooper.
Shaunna Altman, Serco’s office manager, explained that the social committee selected Hunger in Moose Jaw as the recipient for the fundraiser because members volunteer there and help make sandwiches and put together the Good Food Boxes.
Committee members began helping the food security organization in January, while they usually volunteer every six weeks, the volunteer group co-ordinator continued. She noted that it feels good to support the community, while many Serco and CBO employees are willing to step forward.
“I think it’s a great (opportunity to volunteer). It makes you feel so good inside to know that you’re helping the community and all the kids that get the sandwiches,” Altman said. “It’s just unbelievable that there’s that many kids that need help.”
Hunger in Moose Jaw feeds over 400 schoolchildren daily, a number that has risen over the past few years because of issues like inflation and poverty. Dedicated staff and volunteers make the lunches fresh, with each meal featuring a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, snack, and dairy products.
The agency normally holds the annual “I Bought A Lunch” campaign to purchase supplies for its school nutrition program, with the most recent campaign netting the organization almost $80,000.
Altman expected this first parachute and pancake day to be exciting and go well, while she noted that the committee wants to make it an annual event and encourage many people to jump on board so that Hunger in Moose Jaw can benefit even more.
For more information, call 306-694-2867.
