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By HAVEN HOME HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 
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News Local News
Published on May 28, 2024 • 7 min read
Asphodel Norwood Foodbank provides support to local people who are struggling with food insecurity. The organisation is run by a group of dedicated community volunteers, but this month they received some extra help from a group of teaching assistants and pupils from St Paul's School. They posed together during their free time at work in front of the van donated by Stewart Motors for use in food pick-ups. jpg, BI, apsmc
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Unfortunately, local food banks have been a vital and necessary resource for communities for many years. However, the recent pandemic and current economic downturn have created an even greater need for food bank services. The dramatic increase in food insecure individuals and families has placed the food bank under considerable strain to keep up with demand. Currently, there are 96 registered clients serving 242 people, including 83 children in need. This is nearly four times the number of people the food bank was helping prior to the pandemic.
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In some ways, the organization is blessed and grateful for its team of more than 30 caring and dedicated volunteers who are in charge of organizing and managing the “stuff.” Distribution days are held at Norwood Town Hall on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.
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Asphodel Norwood Food Bank is also blessed with generous donors who continually support members of the community in need. These include organizations such as Kawartha Food Share in Peterborough, who provide a van twice a month to pick up food allocations, and milk and bread purchased from the local Foodland. Regular food donations are also received from Drain's Egg Farm, Hiltz Butcher Shop, Vanderhorst Farm and Indian River Acres. Support is also provided by the Township, Lions, local Legion and Women's Divisions, Ex-Lionesses, Cornergate Foodland and many other individuals, churches and groups.
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First and foremost, we want to thank the many businesses, service organizations and members of the public who have donated to the food bank to date, but sadly, their financial resources are now stretched thin. Our volunteer grocery shoppers are working hard to get the best deals possible, but the significant increase in food requests and rising food prices have placed even more strain on their limited resources. As such, any additional food or financial donations from donors are greatly appreciated.
Most importantly, we want the community to know that everyone who receives food truly appreciates your support. The food bank literally allows some of their clients to stay in their homes. Others are able to have a nutritious lunch to send their children to school. Asphodel Norwood Food Bank is incredibly grateful for all donations to date and would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who is able to donate food or funds in the future.
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The food bank can be contacted by mail to: Asphodel Norwood Ministerial Assoc., PO Box 413, Norwood ON K0L 2V0. Monetary donations can also be made by electronic transfer to: asphodelnorwoodfoodbank@gmail.com. You can also contact Diane by phone at 705-750-7360. Please remember to include your address in order to receive a CRA Charitable Donation Tax Credit Certificate.
Here are some fundraising activities planned for June:
JJ Stewart Motors will be hosting “A Mopar Meet” at the dealership (2239 8th Line Norwood) along with Ram's from Peterborough and surrounding areas on Saturday, June 1st from 10am-3pm. Bring non-perishable food items to “Jam the Ram,” there will also be a 50/50 raffle and prizes, and Lion's will be there with their trusty BBQ.
The food bank will be participating in Showcase Norwood on June 15 at the Community Centre, taking cash donations and collecting food items.
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There will also be a unique fundraising sing-along by the Norwood Area Ukulele Group at Norwood United Church on June 18th (more details on this soon).
The village food bank's origins date back to around 1992, when a group of local individuals began providing food to needy families. At the time, it was primarily run by local churches. Officially, Norwood Food Bank was established in 1994 and operated out of the “old” basement of City Hall. In 1996, it became the Norwood and District Food Bank, gaining official charity status. By 1998, it joined the Ontario Association of Food Banks, and in the same year, Kawartha Food Share established a warehouse to serve all food programs in the City and County of Peterborough, which included the Norwood Food Bank. From the beginning, local churches supported the effort, and the colloquial name Norwood and District Ministerial Food Bank was often used to reflect this. At the time, the Ministerial included most of the local churches. In 2013, the charity's name was changed to officially become the Asphodel Norwood Ministerial Society. Their status as a society gives them more leeway to provide assistance to stranded people, homeless people, emergency situations, and other special situations. Since it was officially established, the food bank has continued to use the village's Town Hall as its base of operations – this arrangement with the town is truly unique, with Asphodel Norwood Food Bank being one of only a few food banks to be given free Town Hall space to provide their services.
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It is through the dedication of the community that the Norwood and District Ministerial Food Bank has been able to provide food to residents in need for over 30 years, and throughout that time they have operated with the Christian conviction of always showing dignity, respect and compassion while meeting the food needs of those less fortunate.
Another slam dunk for the high school basketball team
In 2017, Norwood Area High School introduced a new basketball program for students in grades 3-8. The program began in the spring and met one night per week for eight weeks. The KNIGHTS Hoops basketball program was a popular after-school program from the beginning. It continued to grow, and in its fourth year, a new program was added: Hoops Plus, for seventh and eighth graders, for students looking to improve their skills in preparation for high school basketball. All participants needed to bring was enthusiasm and clean indoor running shoes; a t-shirt and basketball were included in the registration fee.
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Basketball games returned to NDHS earlier this year for the sixth time (the program, like all others, had been on hiatus for two years during the pandemic.) The sixth year appeared to be another huge success for the NDHS School Council HOOPS Committee, organizers of the actual program, with 115 students participating and over 30 volunteer student coaches from across the high school grades.
The success would not be possible without the help of many volunteers and sponsors. The committee would like to thank them all. We would like to thank the enthusiastic and dedicated group of over 30 local high school students who volunteered as coaches and mentors. Special thanks go to Head Coach Greg Rutherford and Assistant Mark Robinson for their guidance and leadership. Participants would like to thank the NDHS School Council for organizing the program and ensuring proper equipment was available on the official courts. Of course, special thanks go to the sponsors who provided the means to purchase the best quality equipment and gave the players everything they needed to participate and enjoy the game. Sponsors include Pappas Pizzaland, Time 2 Hoops Basketball Academy, Oakland Greens Golf & Country Club, Norwood Lions, Mike Heffernan Ball Realty, Norwood Legion, Norwood Veterinary Services, Vanderview Farms, Hiltz Butcher Shop, ABCD Contracting, Walsh Electric, Andy Calder Excavating, and Peterborough County Dairy Producers.
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There are many benefits to this program. Players develop basketball skills and have fun while high school students develop leadership coaching skills and complete volunteer work. All funds raised go back into NDHS and are used for a variety of projects and programs, including graduation awards, shade tents for school events and field trips, school clubs, trophies and certificates, new banners for the gym, sports equipment, paint for murals, music equipment, and more. And it all takes place right here in the gyms of our local Norwood Area Middle and High Schools. Thank you to everyone who supported the HOOPS program in its sixth year!
Good food, garage sales and blue whales
Saturday morning during the May long weekend in Norwood has always been a treasure hunter's dream, with dozens of garage sales taking place up and down the streets. This year, the weather was perfect for entrepreneurs looking to sell their unwanted items, including the Lions Club, which hosted their annual garage sale and barbecue combination at Norwood Lions Park. The club's efforts paid off, as eager bargain hunters came to search for unique finds from the treasure table and savor a delicious breakfast expertly cooked on the Lions' barbecue grill.
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Another tradition of the May long weekend was the Lions traditional Blue Whale Race later in the day, the annual journey of over 700 of the famous bath toys down the majestic River Ouse. First across the finish line this year to win the top prize of $1,000 was Joe Crowley's super fast whale. Joe donated a portion of his prize money to the club. In second place was Irving Rumbold's whale, who won a very respectable $200. Coming in third place and winning $100 was James Walst's whale. Tenth place whale earned Patty Hall a quick $50 prize and last place went to Shelley Strutt and Gwen Sawyer's whales, who each received a prize of $25. The club would like to thank everyone for their support not only of the long weekend but of all of our community improvement projects.
Church Quiz Night
The Norwood and Westwood United Church Pastors Association will be hosting Trivia Night on May 31st from 7-9pm at Norwood Town Hall. Come enjoy an evening of local and general trivia fun. Gather your friends and form a team of six, or come alone and meet new friends for the night. Admission is by donation to support local youth and community activities. The Lions Club will provide a cash bar.
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