EKFH shares Random Act of Kindness with Kimberley Food Bank

Submitted by EKFH on 19-03-2010

Cranbrook, BC…  It may just be a little rubber duck but when you add thousands of them together they can make a “quacktastic” result for charity.

Over the past several years the Kimberley Food Bank has run a Duck Race in July.    The results of the duck race raise substantial dollars toward the Kimberley Food Bank’s efforts for keeping their stocks shelved to help those less fortunate.

Individual ducks are sold and on July 1 each year, ticket holders line the banks of Mark Creek to see these whimsical little ducks dumped into the water.   The ducks then bob, weave and float their way down the creek with those crossing the finish line first collecting the top prizes, all the time making a huge difference in the charitable work of the community.

As you can imagine after six some years of sales and creek dumping some of these ducks are now less for wear.   Ducks go missing, some submerge and never come up, and the occasional dog has been known to enjoy its bright colour and so on.  One of the challenges for any charity is keeping a successful event supplied with the materials it needs to make it happen.

In a time when all organizations (profit and not-for-profit) are tightening their belt loops, replacing ducks would require the Food Bank to order more than just a minimum number resulting in a fairly large expenditure for the organization.  

That’s when a simple conversation regarding ducks led to a random gift of kindness to the Kimberley Food Bank from East Kootenay Foundation for Health. 

“Years ago EKFH had done a duck race but it has lain dormant for approximately 8 years.   Knowing full well that the Kimberley Food Bank was doing an annual Duck Race, EKFH did not want to impose its own Rubber Duck Race impacting something that was already successful for another local charity,” shares Donna Grainger, EKFH’s Executive Director.  “After learning of the Food Bank’s challenge of replacing ducks, it is with pleasure that EKFH have donated all our stored ducks to the benefit of their program.   Eating healthy and having the provision to supply food to those less fortunate most certainly plays a significant role in health care,” adds Grainger.   

This is a demonstration of charities working together for the betterment of the community.   EKFH is extremely proud of its relationship with the Kimberley Food Bank and wishes them much success in this and all future Duck Races.   Tickets for the 2010 Duck Race go on sale in Kimberley, April 1, 2010.