As the streets of Sun Peaks and Whitecroft filled with eager kids in costume seeking candy, a group of volunteers joined the crowd, knocking on doors to collect non-perishables for Halloween for Hunger.
This new community food drive initiative was organized by the events team at Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), made up of events coordinators Carly Irrgang and Milly Driver and events and partnerships manager Liz Wilkinson.
Irrgang’s idea of Halloween for Hunger took off this year with 900 pounds of food collected, equating to $3,222 in groceries.
For the first year, Irrgang said her low expectations were exceeded, and she expects that it will grow year over year.
The first annual Halloween for Hunger
All the bins that had been collecting goods throughout the month of October stationed at Ohana, the Burfield Lodge, Tourism Sun Peaks and Guest Services were pretty full, Irrgang said.
“They had about the same amount. It was about not quite a rain barrel full, but we did have one of those big black totes approximately full from each place.”
Though a relatively small group of volunteers gathered at the Village Day Lodge on Halloween night, a lot of ground was covered.
Many folks had read their flyers and prepared bags of canned goods, pasta and more while others who hadn’t were just as eager to rummage through their cupboards and see what they could give.
The nostalgic Whitecroft neighborhood was filled with smiling faces, made up of adults thanking volunteers for their efforts and kids wishing them a happy Halloween.
In Sun Peaks, people were getting ready to party and greeting volunteers enthusiastically at their door with food items.
At the end of the night, the group of volunteers received prizes for categories including best team spirit and best dressed, from Ohana Market and Deli, Sun Peaks Hair Studio and Jardines Sun Peaks.
After a fun-packed night, the team of collectors went home with handfuls of candy from people expecting trick or treaters and day passes for the ski hill from SPR.
When the collected food was taken down to Kamloops, the entire Sun Peaks truck was filled with room for only one passenger.
“The Kamloops Food Bank was super stoked,” Irrgang said, having been a part of the delivery team that was invited to tour the facility.
“I definitely suggest for anyone who’s interested in charity work to connect with the food bank,” she said. “There’s lots of opportunities to give back, and they are a non-government run charity as well.”
For next year
With only three weeks to plan for this year’s Halloween for Hunger once the idea had come to fruition, there’s potential for expansion next year when more notice is given to the community.
“Hopefully next year we’ll have a little bit more drop off locations, depending on what businesses around the resort would like to be involved,” Irrgang said.
The high school helped out this year by having their own mini food drive with a bin. Some students even decided to volunteer on Halloween night.
Next year, she hopes to get the elementary school involved as well.
“The possibilities are endless,” she said about next year, if the rest of the community supports expanding on Halloween with other events.
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