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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday March 12, 2008 - 3 If you have a news tip or story idea, call the Oakville Beaver at 845-3824. Need Help Creating Something Unique? See our design team! Looking for something different? You'll find it here. We specialize in importing and supplying quality ceramics, porcelain, and natural stone with a variety of exclusive lines. Check Out Our BACKSPLASH SHOWROOM & EXTENSIVE NATURAL STONE DISPLAY TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE TRAVERTINES GLASS MOSAICS SLATE GRANITE MARBLE PORCELAIN NATURAL STONE Factory Tile Depot PHOTOS BY LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER STOCKING UP: Fareshare food bank volunteer Azar Malek fills bags with bread at the Speers Road food bank that is kicking off its annual Easter food drive this Saturday, March 15. The drive continues to Saturday, March 29 and it's hoped it will collect enough non-perishable food and cash donations to get the food bank -- and its 320 monthly clients -- through until the annual Thanksgiving campaign. Tile selection made enjoyable! Foodbank shelves need stocking By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF FACTORY TILE DEPOT 1360 Speers Road, Oakville (East of third line) C onstantly. That describes just about everything attached to the Fareshare food bank. From the need of families who use it, to the wheeling and dealing of volunteers who keep the centre operating. As Fareshare is poised to mark, not celebrate, according to its volunteer director Dudley Clarke, its 20th year in operation this year, Clarke said, "We should have closed 19 years ago, but we're still very much in business." So, with business as usual, Fareshare is getting down to business -- holding its annual Easter food drive -- a drive in which it hopes to collect enough food and cash to stock its shelves through to the next drive at Thanksgiving. "It's a long haul and there's no let up of people coming to us in the summer," admitted Clarke of the long summer months between drives. The Easter food drive begins Saturday, March 15 and continues through Saturday, March 29. Christmas and the generosity of the season and residents help offset the need between Thanksgiving and Easter, but the summer gets quiet, and long, according to Clarke, though the need continues. And with the early arrival of Easter this year, it just makes the haul longer, said Clarke. "We should have closed 19 years ago, but we're still very much in business." Dudley Clarke, Fareshare Food Bank About 320 families or more than 1,000 people, half of whom are children, are visiting Fareshare monthly, said Clarke, up from 317 the year before. Clarke, who tracks statistics, pulls out a spreadsheet that shows 350 families were visiting each month during the peak of the recession in the early 1990s. "In the recent federal budget there wasn't one single thing in there to help people in the low income or in-need-of-help category," said Clarke. While people may think the food bank is looking to get turkeys during the food drive, it would prefer to have donations of the items it needs year round, said Clarke. Cash donations also help as the food bank uses the money to buy items should they run low and to purchase fresh foods like milk, meat and produce. Food bank operators are also always on the look out for sales, scouring weekly advertisements and buying in bulk or at wholesale prices if they can. Clarke looks all over town to point out many who donate and still others who have some connection to a store or business that can either donate needed items or arrange for better purchasing prices for the food bank. Even local schools do their part to help out -- not only by hosting food drives, but sometimes by collecting just one item in the drive in order to help Fareshare keep its stores replenished. This Easter's food drive is particularly welcomed at Fareshare as last Thanksgiving's drive did not reap its traditional harvest. "We're not in crisis mode though," said Clarke, noting the shortfall was offset by Christmas donations. In addition to food donations during the Easter food drive, Fareshare needs volunteers for three-hour shifts, or more, to hand out food drive paper bags at the Real Canadian Superstore. Students can use the hours for their required community service hours. Those interested can call 905845-8014. 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 supermarkets where collection bins have been provided by Fareshare. While all non-perishable donations are welcome with open arms, instead of the usual pasta and canned soup type of donation, Fareshare would prefer to receive the non-perish 905.465.1650 Mon.-Thurs., 9:30-6, Fri. 9:30-5, Sat., 10-5, Closed Sun. www.factorytiledepot.ca Live your dream. your Tax Free! Did you know moving money from your RRIF to a Limited Partnership can offset taxes using specific provisions within the Income Tax Act?* Come and see how this tax planning strategy could work for you. Andrew Blanchard of IPC Securities Corporation invites you to join us for this insightful breakfast event. REE FFREE Date: Thursday, March 27th at 9:30 AM akfast t Brreakfas Be ffet Location: Harbour Lighthouse Banquet Buuffet B and Conference Centre, Bronte RSVP: Space is limited. Call today to reserve your seating! This informative seminar will only be of interest o people with total portfolios of $500,000 or more. 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