Gifts of all kinds are part of the season and on December 8th bison was the gift of choice in a donation made by the Global Outfitters Association of British Columbia.
Board members from across BC came to the Salvation Army Community Life Centre in Rutland and presented 350 pounds of bison meat for the food program.
“This donation is so needed as it provides good protein to the individuals who willreceive it.” shares Sonia Withers, Community Ministries Outreach Coordinator. “We receive a lot of non-perishable items, but to have wholesome meats to add to diets is so appreciated.”
Cooking instructions and recipe suggestions are provided to families for whom gamemeat might be new.
”We have a dietician who comes and assists us in developing plans for families to ensure that the foods provided are meeting their needs. This kind of donation really helps support our ability to do that,” says Darryl Burry, Executive Director of The Salvation Army Central Okanagan.
Since the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia’s (GOABC) Meat Donation Program was first started in 1993, it has delivered more than 500,000 pounds of gamemeat to families in need and local charities throughout British Columbia. Wild gamemeat is natural, organic and has no steroids, artificial colours, hormones or otherchemicals. It is also lower in fat and higher in protein than commercial domestic meats.
“We start in our own communities to meet needs first, and then we go out from there,” says Scott Ellis, Executive Director, GOABC, “We hope to be able to do more next year”.
The Honourable Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kelowna-Mission, and Norm Letnick, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kelowna-Lake Country joined the GOABC for the delivery.
