For the sixth year in a row a number of Halifax firefighters spent their Saturday giving back to the community that they serve.
“Subbing in for Hunger” sees them take donated items like food, toiletries and clothing, bag them up in individual care packages and deliver them to the less fortunate.
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It’s grown year after year with a full 100 care packages going out the door and into the arms of those who need them in the 2019 edition.
“The first year it was tedious because it was like a one person show at first,” explained Joel Doyle, who created the event. “But then everyone joined in and it just snowballed from there.”
Doyle’s uncle was the inspiration for the event.
He was known for giving to people in need and after his passing it was a way to honour him and continue the work he was doing.
“My uncle used to be known as the Clyde Street pirate, he used to sit outside the Clyde Street liquor store and collect donations for the deaf and blind community,” Doyle explained. “After his death I wanted to do something to pay it forward.”
Now the team effort makes short work of the day’s task as the firefighters who work as a team daily, sift through the items and sort them like a well-oiled machine.
Within just a few hours the large array of goods have been divvied up and delivered.
In their line of work, wanting to help the community is a pre-requisite. This is just another way they get to do just that.
“We care about the community, that’s why we do this type of job,” explained firefighter James Turple. “It’s very important to show the people that we serve and protect that we do our best on and off the job.
“We all know that we’re doing it for a bigger reason,” Turple said.