MINDEMOYA—With the success of this year’s bicycle ride he took to encouraging local and seasonal residents to provide non-perishable food items for the Manitoulin Food Bank, Joseph Caulfield, a resident of Manitowaning already has plans for next year’s event, which will be held on an annual basis.
“Awesome,” stated Mr. Caulfield to the 275 non-perishable food items that were collected for the Manitoulin Food Bank. “I was hoping for four hundred, but I am certainly happy with what we got this year. We are very grateful to the Island community for its support.”
As was reported previously, Mr. Caulfield and his wife Katharine are new residents to the Island, having moved to Manitowaning in May. He encouraged local residents on the Island, both permanent and seasonal, to put non-perishable cans of food in six locations along a bicycle route he took from Manitowaning to Mindemoya (ending at the Manitoulin Food Bank) this past Saturday.
Mr. Caulfield, who owns a bicycle company on the Island, Bike Whizzards, grew up in London, England. When he and his wife moved into their home in Manitowaning, they found that the previous owners had left many good items like kayaks and food, which they donated to the food bank. With the support of those involved, food bins were located at the Home Hardware (which donated all the bins), Guardian Pharmacy and Canada Post Office buildings in both Manitowaning and Mindemoya for people to donate non-perishable food items for the Food Bank. The bins were in place for about a week on a 24-hour a day basis.
As well, residents could leave the food items by their mailbox on the day of the ride to be picked up. Mr. Caulfield was accompanied on the ride by cyclist Ray Corbiere, of M’Chigeeng First Nation, while Dave Banks (a neighbour of the Caulfields) and Ms. Caulfield drove the truck to pick up the bins and items left on the bicycle route.
“The whole idea is that it is the end of summer, and many people will be going home from camp for the season and leaving the Island,” Mr. Caulfield said. “We asked that before leaving camp for the season for them to look in their food cupboards and donate non-perishable food items toward the cause, before they leave. What is collected could help the food bank stock up food items for the winter.” He pointed out the Food Bank spends about $15,000 a month to buy food items.
“We will be holding this annual ride on the same date every year, Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend, and next year we will have the food bins set out for two weeks instead of one week,” explained Mr. Caulfield.
Mr. Caulfield also donated two children’s bikes to the food bank.
A volunteer with the Manitoulin Food Bank, upon receiving all the items that had been collected by Mr. Caulfield last Saturday said, “it is with extreme gratitude that we receive this donation to the food bank. It is awesome.”
