Numbers from the 2019 Salvation Army’s 2018 Fire Fighters Food Drive are in — the organization received 62,000 pounds of non-perishable food items, as well as $44,000.
The numbers are up from the 2018 drive, when they received 43,000 pounds and $37,000.
READ MORE: PHOTOS: Firefighters collect food, toys around Parksville Qualicum Beach area
The following eight fire departments in the area drove around to collect donations on a weekend in November 2019: Bowhorn Bay; Coombs-Hilliers; Dashwood; Deep Bay; Errington; Nanoose Bay; Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
Mt. Arrowsmith Salvation Army business manager Bonnie Brown said it was amazing to see their numbers go up so significantly this year.
“We’re so stoked,” said Brown. “This means we’ll be able to put a lot of food in storage, too.”
Brown said the high number of donations gives the food bank security for their leaner months, a big help for the organization.
— NEWS staff