Red Deer Advocate, November 18, 2015

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Titles on the line Alpha Omega New hip-hop group a family affair

Cougars, Raiders open with victories in high school final

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Red Deer Advocate WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 2015

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Priceless loss Photo by SCOTTY AITKEN/Freelance

Firefighters were called Monday evening to a rural property northwest of Rimbey. Fourteen prized tractors were destroyed in the blaze, which was fueled by high winds and exploding propane tanks. Please see related story on page A2.

The cupboards are bare CENTRAL ALBERTA’S FOOD BANKS ARE BUSIER THAN EVER AS THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN CUTS DEEP BY MARY-ANN BARR ADVOCATE STAFF “You know darn well that they are only one or two paycheques away from the problem.” That’s Peggy Macofka, executive director for Rimbey Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), talking about some of the folks who use the food bank in that community. She and Rimbey Food Bank Food Banks Canada co-ordinator Katherine Win- urges shift to basic ters agree — they income A3 are seeing new families that might have been considered better off now calling on the food bank for help. Time are tougher this year than they have been in a long time, and many of the 11 food banks in Central Alberta are seeing strong increases in the number of people they help feed. It’s no mystery why — Alberta’s economy is suffering from the continuing drop in oil prices. Layoffs and work shortages are becoming commonplace, and with Christmas just about a month away, food banks are expecting to be busier than normal. In October they saw six new families that they had never met before. The total was 20 families, comprised of 31 adults and 24 children. Normally they see about 12 families in a month. The new people in October were young families for the most part that had been previously employed but had been laid off or run into a shortage of work. “So far we’ve been able to manage, donations are strong,” said Macofka, but she admits they are a little worried about Christmas. Last year they gave out about 45 Christmas hampers but this year they are expecting 55 to 65.

FOOD BANKS

‘IT’S NIP AND TUCK RIGHT NOW. I’M HOPING IT DOESN’T GET MUCH WORSE THAN AROUND 500, BECAUSE AT THAT LEVEL THE AMOUNT OF FOOD GOING THROUGH IS VERY SUBSTANTIAL.’ — DAN GONZALES, DIRECTOR OF THE LORD’S FOOD BANK

Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

Janet Lindhout fills a hamper at the Red Deer and District Food Bank on Tuesday. In Rocky Mountain House, Dan Gonzales, director of the Lord’s Food Bank, said they have seen at least a 20-per-cent increase in clients over the past three months. In fact they set a record in September when they handed out 463 hampers, only to set another record in October of 501 hampers. “It became very, very busy — meaning the demand for food is up substan-

tially,” Gonzales said. “It’s just been going up on a steady basis in the last four or five months.” He is a little concerned about being able to meet the need. “It’s nip and tuck right now. I’m hoping it doesn’t get much worse than around 500, because at that level the amount of food going through is very substantial.” In a normal month, when the econ-

omy is better, they give out about 350 hampers. The food bank covers a large area, which includes about 36,000 people. They service all the way out to the Big Horn Reserve, halfway to Drayton Valley, halfway to Caroline and halfway to Red Deer. It is one of the top 10 food banks in Alberta in terms of the amount of food given out. “We’re hearing a lot of … people not getting as many hours and so that’s of course hurting different people,” Gonzales said. Most of their clients are families. “We give out $700,000 worth of food in a year.” Their Christmas campaign, called the Turkey Drive, is now on with a $55,000 goal. Some of the money will be used through the year to purchase extra food, but they do give out about $30,000 worth of food in Christmas hampers alone, he said. On just the first day of registration, they had 46 applications for Christmas hampers already. The registration goes on for a month.

Please see FOOD BANKS on Page A2

Suspect in Waskasoo child abduction arrested BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF A Red Deer mother was horrified last week to see a thief drive off in her pickup with her two sleeping toddlers inside. Police said that about 4:30 p.m. last Thursday the mother left her pickup running in her Waskasoo driveway

WEATHER Mainly sunny. High -5. Low -12.

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with her two girls, aged one and three, in the back while she briefly returned to the house. In that moment, the thief jumped in the truck. The woman saw what was happening and ran outside but could not stop the truck before the thief drove off. “It was very quick,” said police. Shortly before 5 p.m., a passerby found both children unharmed near

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Caribou Crescent and Carlyle Green in Clearview Ridge. The children had been taken out of their car seats and left outside. The truck was found the next morning at Safety City near 30th Avenue and Hwy 11. RCMP said a suspect was arrested on Tuesday morning when someone heading to work found him sleeping in their pickup and called police. He

was identified as being wanted in connection with the earlier incident and was arrested without incident around 8 a.m. Charges are pending. The cold weather typically sees a spike in thieves making off in running vehicles left unattended. RCMP remind drivers to lock doors and shut off engines.

Trio honoured in fight against violence Central Albertans working to stop the cycle of violence and abuse were among those recognized at the Inspiration Awards. Story on PAGE A8

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