Live radio, Santa and YYC Tech donation propel CBC Calgary's Food Bank Drive past $1M
Early morning live broadcast produces surge in donations to food bank fund but the fun continues all day
Blitz Day at CBC turned into a sack attack — as in sacks full of cash.
At 6 a.m., Calgary Eyeopener hosts David Gray and Angela Knight launched their live 2½-hour broadcast, including special musical guest Tanya Ryan, in the lobby of our new building at 1000 Veteran's Place N.W.
When the day started, the CBC Calgary Food Bank Drive was a little over halfway toward its goal of raising $1 million.
By 10 a.m., that total had risen to $1,010,316.29.
One of the most eye-popping cheques came from YYC Tech Gives, which donated $232,005.74.
That came on a morning that included major donations from a variety of Calgary-based companies and institutions, including Norton-Rose Fullbright, RBC, the Fluor Corp., Vista Projects, Calgary Catholic Teachers Charity Association and Cenovus, along with numerous donations from hundreds of individual Calgarians, many of whom hand-delivered them to the studio.
Santa departed the premises at 9 a.m. but the party continued without him throughout the day at CBC with staff-led tours of the new building (the price of admission was a donation to the food bank), and free coffee and popcorn.
- Catch all the action in real time with our live blog below. On mobile? View the blog here.
At 10:30 a.m., the Calgary Girls' School swung by with two school buses full of 1936 kilos (4270 pounds) worth of food donations. They also stopped by the lobby to sing Christmas Carols.
The live radio continued with The Homestretch and host Doug Dirks, Jenny Howe and the crew, who were joined by local band Son of Ray.
Donations of food and cash (including debit and credit) were gratefully accepted in the lobby from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday was the last day to donate at Fifth Avenue Place, downtown at 420 Second St. S.W. between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
If you couldn't swing by CBC on Thursday, there's still time to donate. We are accepting donations on Friday from 7 a.m. until noon.
We are at 1000 Veteran's Place N.W., which is just north of Bowness Road and east of Shaganappi Trail, near Edworthy Park.
We are easily accessible by public transit. Route #1 has a stop just south of our location or you can do a drive by. Pull into the roundabout in front of the building and shoot a text message to 403-921-1248 and we will come out and pick up your food donation.
You can donate online right up until Jan. 1.