Food drive seeking to fill a truck to fill bellies
"Fill a Truck, Fill a Belly" canned food drive coming this Saturday
Posted By Ron Giofu/The Amherstburg Echo
Posted 26 days ago
AMHERSTBURG — Dave Bratt will be leading a team of volunteers onto the streets of Amherstburg again this Saturday with the goal of helping families in need get fed.
Bratt and his union, UA Local 552, present the second annual "Fill a Truck, Fill a Belly" food drive starting at 9 a.m. Volunteers meet at Maria's Restaurant then will fan out to residences and businesses in Amherstburg attempting to raise more than last year. Bratt estimates he raised more than 2,200 pounds of food last year.
As of press time, 22 businesses had planned to participate either by holding employee can drives or by allowing space for people to donate. The latter includes the local grocery stores who will give space to allow people to buy an extra can or non-perishable food item and drop them in a designated spot.
Shooters locations in both Amherstburg and Harrow will continue to be a dropoff point after next Saturday.
Bratt is a cancer survivor and is coming off of major abdominal surgery which involved major organs and intestines. He suffered from poorly differentiated carcinoma of the neural endocrine area. The condition strikes one in 65 million people.
"I'm in complete remission," he said. "I beat it all."
When diagnosed two years ago, friends and family put on a benefit for him and the "Fill a Truck, Fill a Belly" food drive is his way of giving back to the community.
"This is going to be my annual event," said Bratt. "God and my doctors gave me a second chance. This is my way to pay it forward and pay it back."
Proceeds from the can and food drive will benefit the Amherstburg Food & Fellowship Mission.
Bratt also plans to be involved in other community events and has in previous years participated in a Ride for Cancer with Dr. Tim O'Callahan. He organized the "Fill a Truck, Fill a Belly" drive last year in four days but has taken two weeks to plan it this year. He is thankful to all businesses and individuals that have helped so far and those interested in volunteering or assisting him in any way can contact Bratt at 519-736-8849 or 519-982-8849.
