PORT HARDY—The BC Salmon Farmers Association has made a $1,000 donation to the Port Hardy Harvest Food Bank to mark Aquaculture Awareness Week.
"This is the inaugural year that Aquaculture Awareness Week has been celebrated in Port Hardy – we hope the first of many years to come,” said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BCSFA.
A key component of Aquaculture Awareness Week is being able to say thank-you to all the thousands of men and women who work to make the industry a success, but also a chance to say thank-you for all the work they do in their personal time to support their communities, Walling noted.
“Every year in B.C., food banks help close to 100,000 people,” said Walling. “These are people who are our neighbours and friends who need our help. We’re so pleased to be able to offer this donation and know that the Port Hardy Harvest Food Bank will be able to leverage this donation to help out those in need.”
Supporting the food bank is also something very important to staff at the BCSFA. Each week, staff members donate two hours of their time at the food bank in Campbell River, where the BCSFA office is located.
“It’s so rewarding. I would encourage everyone to volunteer their time,” said Walling. “It doesn’t take a big commitment to make a big difference. Even an hour or two can help.”
The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800 million to the provincial economy each year.