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w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , O ct ob er 1 5, 2 01 0 1 6 Oakvilles Fareshare food bank has been counting on the annual Thanksgiving food drive which continues to Sunday, Oct. 17 to restock its shelves for the winter. But hopes are being dashed. With just days to go before the drive wraps up, Fareshare is down by thousands of pounds of food in dona- tions. That was the word from Fareshares volunteer executive direc- tor Dudley Clarke earlier this week. Clarke reported the Thanksgiving food drive was down by approximate- ly 5,000 lbs. of food donations over the same point in the drive last year. Whats worse is that food drives in recent years have consistently had a poor showing. While shelves have not gone bare at Fareshare, this past summer saw Clarke limit, sometimes eliminate, quantities of certain foods. We could be doing better. Im dis- appointed, admitted Clarke. Last year, with the Thanksgiving drive a week from closing, Fareshare had received 37,330 lbs. of food donations. This year, it had received 32,735 lbs. Included in that figure was a 1,000- lb. windfall in donations that came Oakvilles way when a neighbouring communitys food bank was unable to make a pickup, said Clarke. So its really even worse than it sounds on the surface. We should be seeing an increase in donations as the economy rebounds and the population grows and people recognize times are still tough for many, said Clarke. The number of clients at Fareshare is at its highest level since the recession of the early 1990s, and the economy is still a major concern. Most people using the food bank once a month are working and have children. Approximately 1,200 people a month are served by the food bank. The Thanksgiving food drive at Fareshare began Saturday, Oct. 2 and continues to Sunday, Oct. 17. Food donations can be dropped off at the food bank located at 1240 Speers Rd., Unit 6, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday to Saturday, all Oakville fire stations and in all Oakville supermar- kets where collection bins have been provided by Fareshare. All non-perishable donations are welcome. Cash donations also help as the food bank uses the money to buy items should it run low and to purchase fresh foods like milk, meat and produce. For information or to donate, visit Fareshare at 1240 Speers Rd., Unit 6 or call 905-847-3988. Fareshare Thanksgiving drive short thousands of pounds