Published:
6:00 AM April 21, 2021
Appealing for support for Project Food are, from the left: Annabel Kane, Laurie Spencer of Porkies and Sharon Thorne of TRIP
- Credit: Tim Dixon
A major community project to feed struggling households in Honiton is appealing for help.
The initiative, dubbed Project Food, has grown from work that was done to provide food for people whose lives had been hit hard by the corona virus pandemic.
It is born out of an idea by Sharon Thorne, the deputy manager of the Honiton-based TRIP community transport organisation, which works to reduce rural isolation and loneliness in East Devon.
Program has a strong contribution season; Christmas gifts were delivered last week
It may have looked a little different in 2020, but Operation Rudolph did not let COVID keep it from spreading Christmas joy.
Volunteers, businesses and community members delivered Christmas gifts to 386 children in 137 Jefferson County families. Watching the relief on a mother s face as she met me outside to put the gifts in her garage for Christmas brought me to tears, said Kim Schmith, Kiwanis board member and Operation Rudolph coordinator.
The Madras Kiwanis Club oversees the community program that serves the lowest-income youth and families of Jefferson County communities during the Christmas season by providing gifts. Operation Rudolph gathered family names a week longer than usual to be able to help more local families.
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OPERATION Rudolph will go ahead this year, spreading Christmas cheer across the Emerald community on the eve of Christmas.
However the annual tradition, organised by Emeraldâs emergency services, will run slightly differently due to coronavirus.
Rather than taking lolly donations for the emergency service teams to throw to onlookers, the committee is seeking monetary donations, following advice from Queensland Health. Operation Rudolph route for Emerald, 2020.
This will allow the committee to purchase lollies for the event while abiding by health advice.
Susan Juett of the SES said she was thrilled the event could continue this year and thanked the community for its support so far.