Manitoba and northern Ontario rep (all the way to Thunder Bay) for Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Dale Friesen, has been making the rounds, touring across his region to meet and greet partner Foodgrains communities and learn more about their projects.
Friesen stepped into the role upon the retirement of former rep, Gordon Janzen. He says the first 5 months of this new position has been great in getting to know the folks behind the projects.
"It's been great to see some of the different farm projects as a whole and a wide variety of those different kinds of projects," shares Friesen. "And it's been interesting. It hasn't just been farming projects. There are also some auction sales and some of those other fundraising events. Every one of them is important to the Foodgrains Bank."
"I've been really busy as well with speaking at different churches, and so that's been really good," he adds. "Just basically trying to share the story as often as I can of talking about the Foodgrains Bank with various stakeholders around the two provinces. So yeah, it's been really good!"
Approximately 35 projects and 4,000 acres in total have been dedicated to raising funds for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank this year.
Each community has its own culture and unique way of promoting their Foodgrains project. Friesen says the projects and the committees behind them are hugely diverse, and yet similar from the standpoint "that these are people who really care deeply about food and food insecurity in our world. And so, the projects, they all look so different like it's hard to actually explain it sometimes, how they all look so different. But yet at the heart of it, at the core of it, it's just people who care deeply about food and that people should have the right to food in our in our world."
"It's really quite amazing and it's a humbling process to be a part of," adds Friesen.
Please listen to more with Dale Friesen below!
AND if you're in the neighborhood, please join Sunday morning services with Dale.
"I’d love to talk to your class, Sunday school, senior's bible study, Sunday morning service, or just have a coffee," adds. Friesen
Upcoming speaking locations:
June 22 - Blumenort Mennonite Church
Aug 10 - Bergfeld EMMC Church
Aug 17 - Whitewater Mennonite Church
Aug 24 - Grace Mennonite Church (Steinbach)
Aug 28 - Mcivor MB Church
Sept 14 - Carberry United Church
Sept 21 - Springsteen Mennonite Church
Sept 28 - Pembina Parrish
Oct 5 - La Salle Christian Fellowship
Oct 26 - Emmanuel Mennonite Church
November 2 - Manitou United Church
November 23 - Glenlea Mennonite Church
Jan 11 - Knox United Church Roblin
February 22 - Arnaud Mennonite Church
March 8 - Elim Mennonite
Some dates that are open and could be filled (I can also do youth/church retreats):
November 8 (In Thunder Bay Area)
Jan 18
Feb 1
Mar 1
Mar 15
(photo credit Foodgrains Bank Manitoba Facebook page)
