Feeding Hope Together - theHumm December 2021

By Claire Marson

Towards the end of the summer, at St. Paul’s in picturesque Almonte, we spent a lot of time at parish council meetings struggling with whether or not to put on our annual Harvest Supper. Each year, many meals and a portion of the ticket sales from the Harvest Supper went to the Lanark County Food Bank and those struggling with food security as well as to those at Interval House, an emergency shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

Other churches and organizations were starting to find ways to serve food and raise money with volunteer-driven take-out projects. But the task seemed daunting for us with many vulnerable seniors amongst our core of volunteers. We also debated whether the Health Unit would even allow us to make and sell our tourtières, another very popular local November fundraiser that often saw line-ups down the street. Nevertheless, we were determined not to let Covid stop us from supporting others deeply affected by this pandemic, those struggling with so many challenges including mental illness, addiction and homelessness — all the ministries St. Paul’s has supported in many ways, for many years.

This is how the Feeding Hope Together silent auction community fundraiser came to be. Running online from December 3 to 13, all the proceeds will benefit the Lanark County Food Bank, Lanark County Interval House and the Community Ministries of Ottawa (which include Cornerstone Housing for Women, The Well, Centre 454, St. Luke’s Table and Ottawa Pastoral Counselling). There will be close to sixty different lots to bid on and we hope that Christmas shopping will be a strong motivator along with supporting these vital organizations. There will be something for everyone, including St. Paul’s famous tourtières, pet baskets, fashion and fun packages, as well as gift cards from local businesses, restaurants and places like Home Depot. For those feeling especially generous, there will be an option on each page to donate directly to Feeding Hope Together.

We have been blown away by the support from individuals and local businesses across the region. We may not be able to feed people in the same way as we have in the past, but we are committed to Feeding Hope Together! To bid, please go to 32auctions.com/FHT2021 .

Showing the Local Love for the Holidays! - theHumm December 2021

By Kris and Rob Riendeau

Here at theHumm we’re big on local economies. The retail and service businesses in the small towns that we cover play a huge role in the cultural life of those towns. Each store, restaurant, or small enterprise attracts and serves a particular clientele — some inside the community, some from outside. Some businesses host their own special events; others join together with local festivals to make the whole experience more vibrant. Many provide support in cash or in kind to local initiatives. All of them add their own particular flavour to the delicious mix that is small-town Ottawa Valley.......

Feeding Hope Together - theHumm December 2021