A recent drive through Aldergrove took the words “food drive” literally, with 35 club members in rear-engine powered Porsches stowing non-perishable food in their front trunks or “frunks.”
“It was beautiful cars down country roads,” related past club president Joel Parker about the Sunday, Aug. 23 morning outing.
Eventually, dozens of Porsches, of different makes and colours, with drivers from all across Greater Vancouver, lined the back of Aldergrove Food Bank.
It was exciting for food bank managers, Mary van Zuuk and Tannis Percival, both volunteers who accepted a $1,000 cheque from the Porsche Club of America’s Canada West Region.
Porsche Club of America – Canada West region members parked around back of the Aldergrove Food Bank this morning and donated food and cash.
Posted by Aldergrove Star on Sunday, August 23, 2020
By that time, Porsche owners hopped out of their vehicles wearing face masks and brought their frunk food donations – by-hand or by cart – into the food bank.
Once inside, Percival was elated over three-tables long of food that the club had given.
“We finally have green beans!” Percival exclaimed.
“It’s like Christmas, seeing all of this,” she told current Porsche club president Jeff Rebiffé.
“We were driving through the Aldergrove area and decided it would be a great thing to raise money for the local book bank,” Rebiffé told the Star, aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread job losses for locals.
“We’re trying to make something great out of a tough time,” he said, making mention of other food banks the club recently gave to. This included Pemberton and Lillooet Food Banks the weekend prior.
For the founding member of the 45-year-old club, Aldergrove resident Jim Axelson, the drive to the Aldergrove Food Bank wasn’t far.
Axelson showed up in a vintage white Porsche, and remarked to the Star about the 50 years he’s owned similar high-performance sports cars under the Porsche banner.
“I just love to drive them,” he said.
At nearly 80 years old, Axelson has seen the club grow to a booming 800 members this year.