Chopping up support for Tauranga Community Foodbank

For a group of senior citizens who spend their time chopping, packing and selling firewood, the chance to donate their earnings to the Tauranga Community Foodbank is a "win-win".

Tauranga City Sunrise Lions Club donated $1000 to the foodbank this week and Ken Evans said the club chose to help the foodbank because it was a local service that made a significant impact on the lives of people in need, especially at Christmas time.

"It's extremely rewarding to be able to give to the worthy causes. We love it."

Over the course of the year, the Lions club had raised about $20,000 for the community, Evans said.

Club members work every week on chopping up and packaging firewood to sell. Every cent they earn goes back to the community.

"The community are really good. They will ring us up and say when they are having a tree come down on their property and give us a call," Evans said.

The Lions' firewood efforts have been running for 10 years now, and the club would not change a thing, Evans said.

"The project has many benefits for the community and our members certainly enjoy it also. It gives us a sense of helping the community but also physical exercise - we are all old fellas over 65 years old - but we enjoy the productivity, the exercise and the comradeship.

"It's a real win-win."

The money is one of several substantial donations received by the foodbank service within recent days.

Foodbank chairman Larry Bilodeau was invited to enjoy a morning tea with club members yesterday who presented him with a cheque.

"Those guys are delighted to help out the foodbank a little bit, but $1000 isn't a little bit," Bilodeau said.

"That equates to about 150 parcels. You think about it in those terms and that's a lot of people."

Bilodeau said the foodbank was grateful for the support it had been receiving ahead of the Christmas season.

How to apply for a food parcel?

You will need to visit one of the Tauranga Community Foodbank's approved referral agencies to obtain a "food parcel referral". Just take along some form of ID and they will be able to get things sorted. They will give the foodbank a call so that they know you will be visiting for some help. That way the team at the foodbank can have everything ready when you arrive.