2000 lbs of oatmeal. It doesn’t sound like an exciting blog topic, but this hearty breakfast food connected like-minded people and businesses in making a difference at a school in La Loche, Saskatchewan. Here is the journey of how we connected with Ducharme Elementary School, found a generous donor, and arranged a free delivery of 2000 lbs of oatmeal. It's a story of collaboration, generosity, and community spirit that I hope will inspire you to do something good.
Ducharme Elementary School
Innovation is committed to supporting Indigenous communities in Canada with various projects and initiatives. One of our areas of focus is food security, which means ensuring that people have access to nutritious and affordable food. Food security is essential for the health and well-being of people from all walks of life, especially children.
That's why, in December, we provided $5,000 to the Ducharme Elementary School's breakfast program in La Loche, Saskatchewan. La Loche is a remote village in northern Saskatchewan, with a population of about 3000 people, mostly Dene and Métis. The school is a safe and supportive place for children, where they can learn and grow.
The breakfast program is run by the school's principal, Leanne Gailey, and her staff. They serve breakfast every morning to 470 students from kindergarten to grade 6. The program is funded by donations and grants, but with the rising costs of food, the school is struggling. The program costs about $7000 a month to feed the children.
I was inspired by the breakfast program and bothered by the problem of making ends meet, so I asked if I could try to help in other ways. I told Leanne I would work hard to find a sponsor or donation at no cost to the school. Leanne was happy with the support.
Scott Shiels, Generous Donor
I contacted Scott Shiels, Procurement Manager at Grain Millers Inc, in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Grain Millers is a milling company that processes oats and other grains and sells them to various food manufacturers, bakeries, and retailers. These companies then make products like oat milk, granola bars, and of course, oatmeal. I have a personal connection with Scott because he is my neighbour and our farm, Dreger Ag, grows oats. Scott's team buys some of our oats and turns them into delicious products.
I shared the story of the school in La Loche with Scott. He was very moved by the situation and said he would see what he could do since we both know oatmeal is a healthy and filling breakfast option that can provide the children with energy and fibre. He asked me how much oatmeal I needed, and I said as much as possible. He said he would get back to me soon.
Well, two weeks later, he called and said he had oatmeal for me. Great, I thought, I can take a few bags up in my car. No, Scott said, he had a PALLET OF OATMEAL. 2000 lbs. I was speechless. He said it was a donation from Grain Millers as part of their corporate social responsibility program. They were happy to help a community in need and support a good cause. I was overwhelmed by his generosity and kindness.
But how do we get 2000 lbs of oatmeal to La Loche?
Kevin Medvid, Free Delivery
La Loche is about 800 km away from Yorkton, and not many trucking companies go there. The ones that do charge a lot of money, because of the distance and the road conditions. I was provided an estimate of $5000 to transport the oatmeal, which was almost as much as the value of the oatmeal. Not going to work.
Leanne had shared two companies she knew go to La Loche on a regular basis, and luckily for us, one has a depot in Yorkton. I decided to try my luck and contacted Manitoulin Transport in Yorkton. Kevin Medvid, the Territory Manager, said he would investigate and see what he could do. He was also moved by the story of 470 children in La Loche and impressed by the generous donation from Grain Millers.
A week later, Kevin called me and said he had good news. He said he could pick up the oatmeal from Grain Millers and take it to La Loche on Tuesday, free of charge. He said it was part of their community give back initiative, where they donate their services to worthy causes. He said he was happy to help a school in need and support a generous mission. I was ecstatic. I thanked Kevin sincerely and told him he was a lifesaver.
Free Oatmeal = Happy Children
On Tuesday, Kevin picked up the oatmeal from Grain Millers and drove it to La Loche. The school coordinated with the village administration to provide equipment (and a driver) to unload the pallet on a cold -32 day. They were amazed by the amount of oatmeal and thanked Kevin for his generosity.
The breakfast program has incorporated oatmeal on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help reduce the overall costs of the program while not giving the students oatmeal too often so that they no longer like it.
Scott, Kevin, and I hadn't met Leanne or been to the school, so it was great to visit a few weeks later to see the school, the kitchen, and the children. I was introduced as the “Oatmeal Lady”, and they gifted us with a “thank you booklet”. It is a beautiful booklet with drawings and messages from the children, expressing their appreciation and happiness. Although the booklet was for all of us, I have kept it in my office as a reminder of the impact we can have when we do something good. I told Kevin and Scott that I get to keep it because I am the Oatmeal Lady.