The Halifax Rainmen were lending a helping hand at the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank Thursday morning.
Players from the Premier Basketball League team were there for the Parker Street’s annual Christmas Turkey Dinner Hamper Campaign, in which volunteers from across the Halifax Regional Municipality gather to provide Christmas dinners to the needy.
“Were about community,” Rainmen president and owner Andre Levingston said. “And were giving back to our community in any way we can.”
The food bank was no doubt grateful to have the Rainmen on hand. Mel Boutilier, executive director for Parker Street, said the need is much higher this year because of the current state of the economy.
“People are more stressed now then they were last year” he said. “The prices of things are going up gradually, but people on fixed incomes don’t have anymore money. So they can’t meet the basic needs.”
The Rainmen towered over the rest of the volunteers, packing boxes with Christmas dinners and carrying them outside.
“A lot of people, they see you as basketball players but they don’t see the good things that you do in the community” said Rainmen star Eric Crookshank, who is on his third year volunteering for the campaign.
Last year 850 dinners were given out, whereas this year they were prepared to serve 900 families or more.
The cost of the food is covered by supporters such as the Halifax Juicy Fruit Market who this year donated $5,000 in produce for the campaign, and The Turkey Club Society who are covering the cost of the turkeys for the second year now, as well as donating $25,000 to the cause.
