"Thousands of Breakfasts Each Year" Help Children Thrive

Posted by Liz Scott

on Nov 15, 2015

The Squamish Rotary Club’s breakfast program has fed many children, especially in recent years. Since it started in 2001, it has grown substantially to the point where it now feeds an average of 80 children a day.

“From modest beginnings, it now serves thousands of breakfasts each year,” said Rotary member Doug Race, who emceed the awards section of the club’s Oct. 22 meeting. “I think we all know the benefits to our community of this program are huge.”

At the meeting, Rotarians honoured Dr. Lori Broker of Squamish Family Chiropractic and her receptionist,
Le-Anne Weatherbee, for their efforts in coordinating the breakfast program for local elementary school students. Broker and Weatherbee received the Paul Harris Award.

Pictured are Dr. Lori Broker, Le-Anne Weatherbee, and Rotary President Anne Carney

The program represents the efforts of many, and Broker and Weatherbee’s role is to coordinate the work as well as secure funding to keep it operating. They helped re-launch the program in 2010. Previously, it has been operating with the help of other organizations.

The program, funded by the Squamish Rotary Club and Squamish Family Chiropractic, now operates at seven elementary schools and will soon add Don Ross Middle School.

For meals, it typically provides a hot or cold cereal, a protein usually in the form of hemp hearts or protein powder, milk or a milk substitute, and a piece of fruit.

Since 2010, it has grown from feeding an average of 12.3 children a day at a cost of $1.16 per meal to 80.4 children in 2014-15 at a cost of $0.55 per meal. In all, the more than 11,000 breakfasts served during the last school year represented a cost of $6,185.30.

Broker emphasized the importance of the program for many schoolchildren in Squamish.

“Some of the children didn’t have breakfast and may not have had dinner,” she said, adding that the program can always use more help, as current volunteers can start to feel tired in the last few months of the school year due to the number of children they serve. “I always need volunteers… if they want to get involved, if they have half an hour to give.”

The club also celebrated the 99th birthday of one of its longtime members, Lloyd Ingraham.

Before the club brought out the birthday cake, Race highlighted some of Ingraham’s achievements, including efforts he has supported beyond his work as a Rotarian such as the local hospital and community foundations, as well as the hospice.

“He’s been a bit of a philanthropist as well as his Rotary stuff,” Race said.

Also at the meeting, the local club recognized honourary members for their work in the community, including Colin Ransom, Stein Hoff, Dave Stewart (award accepted by Elsie Stewart), Jim Mulholland, Norma Kindree (wife of charter member Dr. Laverne Kindree, who passed away several years ago) and Colleen Drenka (wife of charter member John Drenka, who also passed away). Matt Souza and Joe Gravkin were honoured but could not attend the meeting.