This is a global good news story about the Prince George community helping the North Okanagan community.
North Okanagan Valley Gleaners is a Christian-based volunteer driven society of about 300 volunteers.We collect excess vegetables from farmers.We have a facility in Lavington where we process and dry the vegetables to make a dried soup mix that we ship around the world to feed those in need.Last year, we collected over one million pounds to produce just under seven million meals.
To get the vegetables from the farmer to our plant we use a five-ton truck.We had a truck that made its last haul in the early spring before we took it to the truck graveyard.Since then, we have been doing a combination of renting trucks, having the farmer deliver it for us and any other means needed.We started to raise funds with the expectation to be in the position to buy a used five-ton truck by the summer of 2019.
In September, the Ademas and the Brinks (from Prince George) came to Vernon to have a vacation and spend some time volunteering at the Gleaners plant.They heard that we were in need and they went into action.Ed Adema found a 1999 International five-ton truck in Prince George that was in need of some repairs and got the local business community to jump in a donate where they could.
Babine Truck and Equipment helped with the engine rebuild, Bandstra Transportation supplied miscellaneous parts, a new radiator and decals, Kal Tire installed four new winter tires, Northline Collision looked after paint supplies, and Prince George Truck and Equipment also supplied parts for the truck.Ed and his friend Mark spent many hours making this truck new again.They drove it down to Vernon to present an amazing new (used) truck to NOV Gleaners.
So the Prince George area has blessed the North Okanagan so that we can bless those starving around the world with soup.
Brad Egerton
Vernon
