Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown is always blown away by the generosity shown by Airdronians.

That generosity was on full display recently during the 8th Annual Mayor's Food Drive held December 9th and 10th at the Airdrie Safeway store.  Brown gives credit to DBC Contractors who organize the event every year.

"They've been involved since the beginning.  They sit there for two six-hour shifts and you're just amazed by the generosity of people."

Just how amazing is it?  Brown tells just one of the many stories he witnessed this year.

"We had a community group come forward and they dropped $400 in cash and they gave $360 worth of food.  That's the kind of place we live in, where people get together and they say, 'you know what, there's a lot of need out there and we want to help out.'  Just always astounded by the generosity in Airdrie."

The food drive helps the Airdrie Food Bank which needs to gather food in December to help them through leaner months.  Executive Director Lori McRitchie says the Food Bank receives 70 percent of its donations during the four weeks of December.  

Brown thinks the Food Bank is an organization that all of Airdrie should be proud of.

"People come in from outside of our community to donate to our Food Bank.  They're Canada renowned, they were the number one Food Bank in Canada this year for communities under 150,000 and when you think about it, that's pretty spectacular.  That's a resource we have in our community.  I wish there wasn't a need, but unfortunately, there is.  Hopefully one day we won't have that need."

Brown didn't have a final total of food and cash raised during the two-day event but says that, once again this year, it was a huge success. 

 

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