The Record • Wednesday, July 17, 2013 • A03
◗IN THE NEWS Council considering Christmas on Columbia ◗P5 City earns award for child-care efforts ◗P8
Local grad begins life journey with new car BY NIKI HOPE REPORTER
nhope@royalcityrecord.com
Just before her name was called, Julie Graham turned to her friend and said she doesn’t win these kinds of things. The 17-year-old was referring to the grand finale prize in a random draw at the New Westminster Secondary School dry grad event last month. “And the minute I said that, my name was called,” recalls Julie, who is now the proud owner of a white 1997 Audi A6 AWD Wagon, which was generously donated by Key West Ford to the high school’s dry grad event. After she won the coveted prize, Julie sat down, and her win sunk in. She absorbed the realization and thought, “I have a car.” Her next thought was to call her mom, who happens to be local school trustee Lisa Graham. “She thought I was calling for her to come pick me up,” Julie says. But Graham’s days of driving Julie will soon be behind her now that her daughter has some hot white wheels to tour town in. The only problem: Julie doesn’t have her learner’s licence yet. But the new car has been a wonderful motivation. “I’m hoping to get it before the end of July,” Julie says about her learner’s. Julie loves the new car – especially the sunroof – and says she has no plans to sell it. As for her future goals, Julie wants to be a high school teacher. This fall, she’ll start at Douglas College, and she earned a bursary from the Retired Teachers’ Fund. The dry grad event – called Carnival Chaos – was a huge success. Three hundred students and 50-plus volunteers attended the event, which was sponsored by many local businesses and community service groups. It was held at the newly opened Queensborough Community Centre, Debbie Wardle, one of the grad parent volunteers, wrote in an email to The Record.
Jason Lang/THE RECORD
New wheels: Julie Graham, 17, with her mom Lisa, next to the Audi Julie won in a draw at the New Westminster Secondary School dry grad event held last month. Julie is entering Douglas College in the fall and has earned a bursary from the Retired Teachers’ Fund.
For a video of Julie Graham, scan with
New West food banks struggle to stock shelves BY CAYLEY DOBIE REPORTER cdobie@royalcityrecord.com
For the more than 28,000 people in the Lower Mainland that rely on food banks to make ends meet, summer can be especially difficult, according to food bank staff. New Westminster has two food bank locations, and each summer it’s a struggle to keep the shelves stocked. From 2011 to 2012, overall usage of the depots increased eight per cent for July and August, according to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. In order to help bridge this gap, the food bank society is trying something a little different. “In an attempt to be a better food bank and increase the amount of nutrition that we’re able to provide, we’ve totally retooled (the handout bags),” says Kay Thody, communications director for the society. Because the food bank usually starts running out of donations that come in during the holiday season in the summer, the society relies on purchasing food in order
But Thody says it’s not just the society to meet the needs of its clients, Thody that needs to rethink what’s being donatsays. “We are really fortunate where we are, ed. People should also consider the nutriour rear ends are kind of plunked in farm,” tional value of the foods they’re donating, she says. “We do have the opportunity she says. “We’re asking peoto work with farmers, … ple to spend a bit more so now we actually have time looking at that label farmers growing crops for when they are thinking us.” of making a donation,” By buying in bulk, the “In an attempt to be a she says. society makes the most out better food bank and Instead of grabbing of its money and supplies just any old item from fresh produce to people increase the amount of the shelf, Thody says the who use food banks, in nutrition that we’re society is encouraging New Westminster and the able to provide, we’ve people to read the label Lower Mainland. to ensure they’re donatIn New Westminster, totally retooled ing the healthiest foods. the society gets an extra “We just completed helping hand providing (the handout bags).” a nine-month process fresh produce to those in with nutritionists from need. The local commu- KAY THODY VancouverCoastalHealth nity garden society has communications director Authority, in which we three gardens throughout had two nurses and dietithe Royal City, each with its own food bank plot. The food is grown tians … work with us and completely reby volunteers, free of charge, and donated do the bag program,” she says. Throughout the process, dietitians and to the local food bank depots.
nurses created a template for the society that outlined which foods were the healthiest and which should be removed from the food packages. “A lot of the tinned products have a tendency to be very, very high in sodium,” she explains. “Sodium is one of those sneaky detrimental things, and so often times there’s products available at a very similar price that is a healthier option.” The society is now moving towards items such as 100 per cent fruit juices instead of fruit cocktail, and whole grains instead of white flour and sugar. In support of the society’s shift away from traditional handouts to a model that fosters self-sufficiency and healthy eating, the society is hosting an event on July 22. Seeding Change is a day-long event where people can come by and learn about sustainable gardening, plant a seed in one of the society’s pallets or take some seeds home. The event starts at 7 a.m. and runs until 7 p.m. at the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery at 750 Hornby St. For more information, visit www.food bank.bc.ca.
Only in New West Last week’s question Do you think truck traffic should be removed from Front Street? YES 56% NO 44%
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