By Meredith Mackeen

Goodwill in Town of Brome Lake is especially evident at Christmas time. Starting in the late 1950s, the Knowlton Lions Club prepared baskets of food and toys for families under financial stress. In 1991, volunteers started a food bank which operates year round for families in need and in extreme emergencies. Today these baskets include donations of local produce, local meat stored in a freezer and items near the end of their shelf life. About 20 volunteers prepare 45 to 55 baskets worth at least $100 on a monthly basis for over 270 adults and 70 children in the area. Confidentiality is protected as all baskets are identified and distributed using a designated client number rather than names.

Key Donors and Partnerships

The food bank would not be possible without generosity of some of the major donors including Comptoir Familial, Brome Bird Care, Creek Church, the Eastern Star and the Royal Canadian Legion, and through partnerships with Uniprix, Ville de Lac Brome, IGA, and neighbouring food banks.

Another very generous donation comes from John and May Kirk, owners of the Knowlton Pub, who for 16 years running prepare sumptuous Christmas dinners. People are asked to pay with donations (cash or gift certificates) for the food bank. This tradition has expanded to 4 sittings starting at noon and continuing to 7 p.m. on the day of midnight madness, Dec 13. John Kirk remembers the agony of poverty in childhood and promised his mother to help the community as he became more prosperous. Knowlton has certainly benefitted.

Additional Support and How to Donate

Additional sources of support come from IGA, which has a collection of items at attractive prices suitable for the food bank. As well, children at Knowlton Academy are invited to think of others and to donate. Individuals wishing to make a monetary donation to Lions Club will receive a tax receipt.

If you need emergency assistance, please call 450-242-2020. Knowlton Lions Club