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Big White chef brings fresh produce to Central Okanagan Food Bank

Chef and his team collected food from the resort’s restaurants
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The Central Okanagan Food Bank (COFB) is once again the recipient of a generous act.

Executive chef Rob Walker, who works in a restaurant at Big White, took his culinary team Boddie Macklin-Shaw and Brett Thompson on Mar. 25 to the resort’s restaurants. The trio collected unused food and fresh produce from the restaurants, which amounted to $8000.

Walker said they used one of their delivery vans, filling up about half of it, then took everything to COFB.

He said besides produce, they were also able to get dairy, bread, and other necessities.

“I look after eight different food and beverage outlets at Big White and being that we closed up right at the beginning of spring break, we were all still going full-on at that point and then we abruptly stopped operations, so I had more food than I wanted on hand,” Walker said.

“We obviously try and preserve and do what we can, but this is all the fresh stuff and it would all just go bad so I thought it would all be in better hands at the food bank.”

He said staff at COFB were very happy and grateful for the donations.

“It just felt amazing to do that. We do this every year at the end of the ski season; we take down similar things like we did today but it just felt great to know we were helping so many who just need the extra help.”

He added everyone can help out little by little.

“Let’s all do our part. I mean, why wouldn’t you? If you are sitting on some extra inventory, let’s turn that into something positive.”

If you know others who are giving back and helping those in need during this critical time, email and let us know!

READ MORE: Ski season at Big White comes to an early close due to COVID-19

READ MORE: Central Okanagan Food Bank receives generous donation in time of need


Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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