The Central Alberta Buccaneers are getting ready to do their part to give back to the community through a ‘Bucs Day to Tackle Hunger’, where they will raise proceeds and donations for local food banks.
On May 23rd, members of the Bucs will host a variety of activities to raise money for the Lacombe Community Food Bank, the Red Deer Food Bank Society and the Sylvan Lake Food Bank. The day will begin with a food drive and will include a football skills camp for kids, a tailgate party and a ‘celebrity’ flag football game. The events take place at ME Global Athletic Park.
“We have done a fundraiser for the food bank here in Lacombe for the last four years. This year, we looked at how we could expand the reach of the fundraising, and brought in the ‘Bucs Day to Tackle Hunger’. The idea was to include Red Deer and Sylvan Lake food banks, as well as Lacombe,” said Darrin Thompson, director of communications for the team.
Tickets for the event are $10, with proceeds being shared between the food banks and the Buccaneers team so they can maintain their league status. Thompson said when they fundraise between groups like the food banks, they could do something good for the team as well as the community.
“The guys love to get out, put on the Bucs gear and go door-to-door here in Lacombe. We’re doing a door-to-door food bank drive in the morning and once we collect all that food, the guys will meet back at ME Global. Then we will start filling trucks and drive it over to the Lacombe Food Bank right away,” he said.
The event will include the 9:30 a.m. food drive, a youth skills camp and game at 11:30 a.m. and a barbeque lunch and tailgate gathering at 1 p.m. Following the barbeque, a celebrity flag football game will ensue, pitting members of the Buccaneers against each other and various guests. The game will begin at 4 p.m.
The Lacombe Food Bank will receive the immediate assistance of the foods donated and collected that day, while the Sylvan Lake and Red Deer food banks will receive cash donations.
Thompson was interested in connecting the fundraising event with the Red Deer Food Bank when he heard the director, Fred Scaife discuss the standings of the facility during a networking and fundraising event known as ‘100 Men Who Give a Damn’.
“We had the pleasure of listening to Fred Scaife talk about where the Red Deer Food Bank is at and the financial struggles they’re facing there. Food banks across the country are struggling, but it really hit home to have Fred tell us in dollars and cents. Everyone knows that you can donate food and that is fantastic. However, if they needed things like toiletries and items that aren’t necessarily that common, they can take the funds and purchase that for people that need it,” Thompson said.
“We want everyone to come out and have some fun. It’s going to be a fun, family event. There will be stuff for the kids and stuff for mom and dad. If you’re a football fan you’re going to have some fun - and it’s all for a good cause.”
kmendonsa@lacombeexpress.com