Empty Bowls raises about $12,000 for Wood Buffalo Food Bank at Blueberry Festival's return

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About $12,000 was raised for the Wood Buffalo Food Bank during the Labour Day long weekend as their annual Empty Bowls fundraiser partnered with the return of the Blueberry Festival to Fort McMurray.

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The money comes as the food bank braces for a sudden demand for their services, which executive director Dan Edwards said usually arrives in the fall.

“We plan for it, and the best case scenario is our plans aren’t necessary and there isn’t much of an increase as we anticipated or planned for,” said Edwards in an interview.

“I think we’re going to see an increase, I just don’t know what that increase will look like. It’s been difficult gauging those trends this past year.”

Edwards said the number of people looking towards the food bank for help slows in the summer, although the last few months have been consistently busy. This also means fewer people are able to donate money or food to the food bank.

“There are still people in the community needing support. The cost of everything has increased,” he said.

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“We have seen a bit of a decline in terms of what has been donated, but we are still doing our best to mitigate that and find additional resources.”

Edwards said partnering with the Blueberry Festival will continue again next year. Since 2016, Empty Bowls serves people chili and food from other vendors while selling bowls made by the Fort McMurray Pottery Guild. This year’s event included a chili cookoff from 10 local businesses and non-profits.

St. Aidan’s Society, a seniors’ advocacy and wellness group, was voted the best chili by attendees. Their chunky brisket chili was made from locally grown Russian garlic, lovage, red onion and the stout from Drum Brewing.

Following was the chili made by Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Fort McMurray. Their chili was named Community Champions and was widely talked about by attendees. They had a bison chili topped with blueberries and Saskatoon berries.

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“It was a really good turnout, and we are really happy with how well everything worked out and how it was received,” said Edwards.

The Blueberry Festival was held for decades in Fort McMurray until it was cancelled in 2008. Just under 10,000 people showed up to the final Blueberry Festival in 2007, according to media reports from the time. Crowds this year were smaller, but Edwards said that was to be expected after a lengthy hiatus.

“The goal is to bring back the Blueberry Festival to what it was. It was a grassroots event in the beginning and it is again,” he said.

“This is its first year back so we have to start small and grow from there.”

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vmcdermott@postmedia.com

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