Morningstar Relief Mission volunteers furiously sorting food. “The generosity of the community was crazy,” says Brent Karel, owner, Limestone Limousine Services, “My son was working outside one of the stores and met a lady who had come to buy a birthday cake for her husband. Later, she came out with a shopping cart that was full—she took the birthday cake off the top and rolled the cart over to him and said, ‘Merry Christmas’!”
On Saturday, December 5, Karel and nearly a dozen of his staff, family and friends, led this year’s Limestone Limousine Food Drive at four sites across Greater Napanee: Metro, No Frills, Shopper’s Drug Mart and Giant Tiger.
“It was cold and some of us had to buy gloves,” says Karel, who worked the outdoor tables and shepherded loads of food from the different sites back to Morningstar Relief Mission’s Water Street location where it was sorted by a team of volunteers. But he says “freezing their fingers was worth it!” and he was blown away by the outpouring of generosity he and others witnessed from across the community.
Shoppers donated more than $2,400 in cash and thousands of pounds of food that will be shared between Morningstar and the Salvation Army Napanee Food Bank. Karel and his team are to be congratulated for having pressed on with the food drive, undeterred by COVID-19, even though they were not able to fill limousines as they had in the past. “We were determined to keep this food drive going in spite of the challenges,” says Karel, “It’s been a tough year for a lot of people and this food was needed.”
“We are beyond grateful to Brent and Limestone Limousine for making the food drive such a success,” says Kevin Alkenbrack, Executive Director, Morningstar, “Our volunteers are still sorting food—there was just such an incredible response.” Since the onset of the pandemic Morningstar has experienced above-average demand for food boxes. “Prior to the food drive our pantry supplies were looking a little thin.”
Abigail Mills, Director, Salvation Army echoed Alkenbrack’s sentiment about the timeliness of the food drive. “We have also seen demand for food increase as a result of the economic challenges resulting from the pandemic.”
Event organizers are especially grateful to Mayor Marg Isbester, the Town of Greater Napanee, MYFM 88.7, and Hart ‘n Hart who all contributed, in a variety of ways, to the success of the food drive. “It was an incredible team effort,” says Karel, “this is a great community and we really know how to come together.”
On Saturday, December 5, Karel and nearly a dozen of his staff, family and friends, led this year’s Limestone Limousine Food Drive at four sites across Greater Napanee: Metro, No Frills, Shopper’s Drug Mart and Giant Tiger.
“It was cold and some of us had to buy gloves,” says Karel, who worked the outdoor tables and shepherded loads of food from the different sites back to Morningstar Relief Mission’s Water Street location where it was sorted by a team of volunteers. But he says “freezing their fingers was worth it!” and he was blown away by the outpouring of generosity he and others witnessed from across the community.
Shoppers donated more than $2,400 in cash and thousands of pounds of food that will be shared between Morningstar and the Salvation Army Napanee Food Bank. Karel and his team are to be congratulated for having pressed on with the food drive, undeterred by COVID-19, even though they were not able to fill limousines as they had in the past. “We were determined to keep this food drive going in spite of the challenges,” says Karel, “It’s been a tough year for a lot of people and this food was needed.”
“We are beyond grateful to Brent and Limestone Limousine for making the food drive such a success,” says Kevin Alkenbrack, Executive Director, Morningstar, “Our volunteers are still sorting food—there was just such an incredible response.” Since the onset of the pandemic Morningstar has experienced above-average demand for food boxes. “Prior to the food drive our pantry supplies were looking a little thin.”
Abigail Mills, Director, Salvation Army echoed Alkenbrack’s sentiment about the timeliness of the food drive. “We have also seen demand for food increase as a result of the economic challenges resulting from the pandemic.”
Event organizers are especially grateful to Mayor Marg Isbester, the Town of Greater Napanee, MYFM 88.7, and Hart ‘n Hart who all contributed, in a variety of ways, to the success of the food drive. “It was an incredible team effort,” says Karel, “this is a great community and we really know how to come together.”
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