Dozens of Virdenites braved the chilly winter day Tuesday to greet and show their support for the Freedom Convoy as it traveled through Virden, headed for a scheduled stop in Brandon and ultimately on to Ottawa. In the days preceding their arrival, a group of local volunteers was mobilizing a behind the scenes effort to provide lunch for them.
Last weekend, a call went out for donations of small baked items like cookies, bottled water and other drinks as well as items to make sandwiches.
Organizer Ingrid Wilkinson was planning to donate to the convoy fund herself and envisioned what more could be done.
“I texted a few friends, and it was posted on Facebook and Instagram. We planted a seed, and it grew.”
At a drop-off point at Virden’s Red Apple store lot on Sunday, monetary donations were delivered and a pickup truck was filled with items needed to prepare and pack the lunches.
“We’ve had a huge response. People have realized that this (imposed mandates) is not a sustainable way to live.”
The following day, a group of volunteers set to work putting the lunches together for distribution in Brandon and on Tuesday, a crew headed in to meet the convoy and distribute them amongst the convoy participants.
Wilkinson reported that while 200 were initially planned for, a total of 389 lunches were packed and approximately $800 was donated as well. Any funds not used to purchase additional food items will be donated to the convoy fund.
Wilkinson expressed appreciation to her volunteers who stepped up to help as well as those who donated, and to Irma and Carlyle McDougall who provided space for the sandwich making bee.
“It was an awesome turnout – much more than I ever expected.”
