Farm Credit Canada (FCC) invited residents to help feed those in need with their annual Drive Away Hunger campaign this past Thursday.
    FCC drove a tractor and trailer through Drumheller and Morrin to collect food and cash donations for the Drumheller Salvation Army Food Bank.
    “We are so thrilled FCC organizes this. We are running low on certain items, so this will help stock our shelves until our major food drive at the end of November,” said Salvation Army Lieutenant Rachel Shiels.
    The drive started at the Drumheller Co-op at roughly 11 a.m., from there the tractor travelled to Morrin School, and finally wound up at the Salvation Army.
    FCC employees were on hand to help load and deliver the food.
    “It feels great. It is such a rewarding day for us. I think people assume the food bank is always filled, but the reality is, every place we go to has a lot of space for food, because the need is so great. Doing what we can in our own small way is really important,” said Ron Podbielski, vice president of communication and social responsibility with FCC.
    Drive Away Hunger began in 2004 when an FCC employee in Ontario drove a tractor through their community for eight days. He collected nearly 60,000 pounds of food. That drive became the inspiration for what is now a nation wide campaign.
    Since its inception, Drive Away Hunger has donated more than 7.8 million pounds of food for food banks across Canada. In Drumheller, FCC has collected over 1,000 pounds of food.
    FCC staff and members of the Salvation Army were on hand to unload the piles of food raised by the drive. That food will help feed families throughout the Drumheller area.
    For more about what items are needed, how to donate, or food drives, visit www.drumsa.org.

    The losses suffered in Special Areas this summer due to flooding were declared a disaster, paving the way for some financial relief for the area.
    On October 4 an Order In Council was approved under the Fiscal Accountability Act. The order “declares the extraordinary losses, damages and emergency response costs caused by overland flooding and groundwater seepage experienced in Special Area No. 2, Special Area No. 3 and Special Area No. 4 from June 26, 2012 to June 30, 2012 to be a disaster.”
    “There is funding available, as much as $8.6 million for Special Areas,” said Cameron Traynor, communications for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. “A good amount goes to the municipality itself to recover their costs but some of it is available for individuals as well if they have uninsurable losses.”
    The help coming to Special Areas is one of six regional disaster recovery plans to help municipalities, residents and farmers. The estimated provincial commitment is in the area of $58 million.
    “This funding will go a long way to help the communities and Albertans who experienced uninsurable losses because of this severe weather,” said Doug Griffiths, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “Plans are already moving forward to establish registration centres for Albertans who may qualify for assistance.”
    According to a release, the recovery program is designed for uninsurable losses and property damages caused by the weather events to communities, businesses, residents and producers. Local authorities apply to disaster recovery programs on behalf of their residents.
    Traynor explains there will be registration centres set up in the area and directs those affected by the disaster to the Alberta Emergency Management agency’s website at www.aema.alberta.ca.
    “There is contact information on the website on how people can fill out the necessary forms and apply for funding,” he said.