The 5th annual Stuff The Cruiser is coming Saturday, May 11 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Co-op Marketplace. The event held by the Lloydminster and District Co-Op and the Lloydminster RCMP is raising donations in support of the Salvation Army food bank.
Once again, Citizens on Patrol will be crewing the barbeque serving up delicious food for a donation to the food bank. Members of the Lloydminster Fire Department and the Lloydminster RCMP will also be on hand collecting donations on behalf of the Salvation Army food bank. Kristine Knourek of the Lloydminster and District Co-Op is excited about this year’s food drive and is looking forward to supporting the community.
“One of our principles that we’re founded on as a co-operative is supporting community. Doing something like this with the Lloydminster RCMP, the fire department and Citizens On Patrol is another way we show that principle in action and another way we allow our membership to be engaged as well,” says Knourek.
Throughout the past four years, more than 50 RCMP cruisers have been stuffed with donations. Several hundred pounds of food has been raised through the annual food drive. The most cruisers stuffed through this event is seventeen, and the Lloyd Co-Op hopes to surpass that total this year. The community’s support is something the Lloyd Co-Op don’t take for granted and is thankful for it year after year.
“There’s a lot of suffering that goes on in the community. There are still people who don’t have jobs, and any way that we can provide that support as a co-operative and encourage our membership to support it as well is something that we take very, very seriously.”
Previously, the food drive made use of the RCMP’s Crown Victoria police cruisers. This year features a new, fully loaded police van. Cst. Michael Hagel is excited to put it to work for a good cause and hopes the community comes down to help.
“Come on down on Saturday from 11 to 3. Have a free burger, have a free hot dog, make a donation, take a picture with a police officer, get a tour with a fire truck, and have a picture with a firefighter if you so desire. But please come down and support this worthy cause,” says Hagel.