Last night, the Organizing Committee for FOCUS- Feed Other Countries Undo Starvation, a project with the Canadian Food Grains Bank, held its annual appreciation dinner for volunteers at the Herman Prior Centre.

Organizing Committee Chair Gerald Loeppky says all of their success wouldn't be possible without all of volunteers' help.

"There's so many people involved in the project during the year. Growing the crops, providing land, providing input, providing equipment, all of those things. We like to be able to take some time after harvest to be able to get people together to celebrate the work everybody has done," says Leoppky.

Leoppky notes efforts this year have been the best yet.

"This year has been the biggest fundraising year... we've raised the most amount of money this year. We've raised well over $200,000 this past summer," Leoppky says.

A cheque presentation for the $200,000 for the Canadian Food Grains Bank happened at the dinner.

There were also presentations from Canadian Food Grains Bank representatives about the year's overview, including a world tour they went on.

Loeppky says people are so generous to give their time and resources to make the project a success. Food grown in our local region is harvested and sent to various global locations that are in need of food. The appreciation dinners have been happening since 2008.

The organizing comittee was expecting to see about 80 people in attendance for the turkey dinner.

Volunteers await presentations and dinner at the Herman Prior (Photo by Renée Lilley)