Two local emergency services agencies are once again competing for the benefit of the Dauphin and District Community Food Bank (DDCFB).
The Dauphin Fire Department and Dauphin RCMP detachment are preparing for the annual “Pack the Pumper” and “Cram the Cruiser” food drive, Nov. 22 to 28, with the official weigh-in taking place, Dec. 8.
This is the fifth year for the friendly competition which allows the two agencies an opportunity to support the community, and each other, beyond their emergency services work.
“It is a great community support program. People go hungry at this time of the year or any time of the year. This our fifth annual and there has been a few thousand pounds of food donated over the last four challenges that we’ve had,” Dauphin Fire Chief Cam Abrey said.
“It’s a friendly competition between the two emergency agencies. We work quite closely with them at the calls we attend and it’s actually a team builder between the two agencies, as well. Because otherwise we only see each other at calls and this allows that fun side of things to happen.”
After winning the competition for the first two years, the RCMP fell to the fire department in 2022, but bounced back last year, collecting 3,219 pounds of food, as well as $1,120 in cash donations. The local firefighters could only muster 1,125 pounds of food and $1,265 in cash donations.
Abrey said Dauphin residents can expect to see firefighters set up at several locations around town, such as in grocery store parking lots on Nov. 23.
Additionally, the doors to the fire hall will be open during the campaign for people wishing to drop off a donation and the department will go even further, Abrey said.
“If anybody can’t leave their home and would like to make a donation, we’ll drop by your home or your apartment and we’ll pick up those donations,” he said.
Community is at the heart of pretty much everything the RCMP does, said Const. Eric Leroux, who is organizing the collection on behalf the detachment, and the annual food drive fits right into that philosophy.
“With Christmas on its way, unfortunately there’s a lot of people, they don’t have the monetary resources to have a good Christmas with a good table of food, which is why, in my personal opinion, this food bank challenge is absolutely essential, is very important,” Lerroux said.
“The food bank is something very important for this community,” he added.
“Times are not as easy as they could be and sometimes (people) can make ends meet, but you know for Christmas they’re just missing that little bit. Then the food banks help.”
While they will try to get out into the community to collect donations, staffing realities means the RCMP side of the competition can not promise to set up out in the community, Leroux said, adding he has been spreading word of the challenge throughout the region.
For those wanting to support the police side of the competition, a cruiser will be available in the detachment parking lot throughout the week-long collection.
“People can come to the detachment. The truck is going to be outside, it’s going to be decorated with Christmas lights like it is every year and if you just want to drop it off there, we’ll gladly take the donations,” Leroux said.
“We won last year. We’re going to try and win again this year.”
Some of the DDCFB’s most needed items include dry cereal, oatmeal, pasta, pasta sauce, canned baked beans, canned meats, canned fish, canned fruit, mac and cheese, tea, coffee, soup, crackers and canned vegetables.
Please ensure that all donations have not reached their best before date.
The Dauphin RCMP detachment can be reached by calling 204-622-5020, while the fire hall telephone number is 204-622-3100.