Saskatchewan
anglican
The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • January 2021
'The Mask of Zerro' helps diocese raise money for food By the Rev. Mark Kleiner SASKATOON — The spirit of Zorro, the original masked hero, lives on within great-great-grandnephew (twice removed) Zerro. And what brings Zerro to these parts? The Diocese of Saskatoon has enlisted him to spearhead The Mask of Zerro, a bold new initiative within the Saskatoon Deanery to raise enough money to support 10 food insecure households in Saskatoon in 2021. The assistance comes through CHEP Good Food Inc.’s Pay It Forward program. For decades, the nonprofit organization CHEP has worked on the culinary frontlines in Saskatoon to provide healthy, local, and sustainable food options to residents. The Pay It Forward program identifies households in need and provides fresh produce, milk, eggs, bread, and other edibles at a cost of $1,170 per household per annum. In total, The Mask of Zerro aims to raise $11,700 for those in need. So far, through generous donations from Emmanuel and St. Stephen’s parishes, the initiative has raised close to $3,000. Zerro hopes all the Saskatoon Deanery parishes will dig down deep to meet or exceed the targeted amount. “Scars on the back may be a swordsman’s shame,” explains Zerro, “but greenbacks in the kitty is how we’re gonna win this game!” While Zerro is not accustomed to our Canadian winters, he has found the COVID-19 situation particularly troublesome. Apparently, while the Diocese of Saskatoon was
Zerro and Gord Androsoff, executive director of CHEP Good Foods Inc. in Saskatoon, happily announce the beginning of The Saskatoon Deanery’s Mask of Zerro initiative to provide food for needy families in Saskatoon. Photo by Rev. Mark Kleiner successful in having Zerro declared an essential worker and therefore able to cross into Canada from the United States, his beloved horse Twister had to remain behind. Fear ye not, however, for craftsman and hobby equestrian Tom Nieman, of Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon, has come to the rescue by designing Zerro an “all-season” companion, Blizzard, complete with wheels and solid wood construction (“That’s what keeps it stable,” notes Nieman). Although Zerro and
Blizzard shan’t be able, due to COVID church closures, to make any of the originally planned in-person appearances during Sunday worship, they nevertheless are making the rounds to the various parishes in the deanery and posting videos of their visits online. Those who wish to donate to the project can send big fat cheques made out to The Diocese of Saskatoon, with Mask of Zerro in the subject line, to the Synod Office at: 1403 9th Avenue North, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2Z6.
Zerro leaves his mark on the front door of Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon. Photo by Rev. Mark Kleiner
Find the Saskatchewan Anglican on Facebook and Issuu!