No food drives, but realtors volunteering for the Vernon Salvation Army kettle campaign – Vernon News

Realtors ringing bells

The North Okanagan Realtor Food Drive is no more.

But area real estate agents will still be stepping up to help out the Vernon Salvation Army.

For many years, the food drive collected thousands of kilograms of food for the Sally Ann food bank, but when COVID hit, the annual event had to be scuttled.

Instead, realtors volunteered in droves to be ringing bells for the Salvation Army’s Christmas kettle campaign

“That worked out really well and they were able to collect a lot of money,” says Dawn Taylor with Re/Max, who used to organize the annual food drive.

The money they help raise can actually buy more food than was previously collected.

“They have more buying power. They say for us spending $1 on a can of soup, they can get three cans for a dollar,” says Taylor.

Having funds available also allows food bank officials to boost areas where supplies are running low.

And you don’t have to be a realtor to sign up.

Anyone can volunteer to man a kettle by signing up at the Salvation Army website.