We had a great year in 2008, and we already have a new growing project for 2009, and I’m hoping for more, said Harold Penner, Manitoba Resource Coordinator for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank as the new year began.
Growing projects are such a great way to involve the whole community to work together to end hunger.
“So until we find a better way, and as long as people are hungry and need our help, I guess I’ll keep calling people I know and ask them if they’d like to be involved,” adds Penner.
On another CFGB topic, Penner notes that Victoria Wollie from Liberia will be in Canada with the ‘People to People’ program for the month of March.
This program was initiated in 2000. ‘People-to-People’ is a Foodgrains Bank project that connects overseas recipients with Canadian farmers, donors and volunteers.
In Canada, visitors learn more about life and farming when they tour area growing projects and meet the people. They will also often make themselves available to speak in local churches.
Foodgrains Bank supporters hear first hand about the difference their contributions make. Canadian volunteers and study tour participants also share their experiences as they talk about the sense of world community they gain as a result of their work with the Foodgrains Bank.
Victoria will share her time between Saskatchewan and Manitoba while in Canada. Things could still change a little but we will probably start to arrange her schedule from the day she arrives on March 15 until her departure on March 29.
If you would like to have Victoria visit your community please contact us now so we can plan accordingly. We would like Victoria’s schedule in place by the end of January 2009; therefore, we invite you to please send an e-mail or you may also call.
People from here go on a tour to experience another culture and learn something new. Of course the people we meet may also learn from us as we travel. The idea of ‘People to People’ is the same – only in reverse. Someone from a southern country visits us. You can invite them to your home to learn about life on the farm or in a small community, and also do some guest speaking at some events if it can be arranged during the week and on both Sundays.
To move more easily from one community to the next we will perhaps start the week of March 15 and move westward from our home to perhaps Altona, Winkler, Morden area, and then plan to move further west by mid-week. On or about March 22, and a few days beyond, we would go north maybe Kola, or Minnedosa (based on the initiation of the requests) and then to the Steinbach area.
This would leave March 27, open for her to be in Winnipeg and then at Camp Assiniboia for the World Hunger Weekend. Of course we will only be able to be in a few communities.
Having a growing project spring kick-off event during that time would be great. It would be good for her to be at such an event and I am sure people would also enjoy sharing stories.
