Local 1000A kicked off its second annual BBQ picnic at Ottawa’s Vincent Massey Park on August 27, 2011. The event brought together children and adults of all ages and cultures for a jam-packed day of activities, including soccer, an iron-chef cooking contest, a jumping castle, face-painting, bingo and all-you-can-eat BBQ.
Caroline Brisebois, a steward and an assistant customer service manager at Loblaws in Vanier, said the event turned out great. “We had a number of new games at this year’s event and the reaction has been very positive,” said Brisebois, who helped organize the event with Local 1000A activists Jane Francis, Maria Shouman, and Peter Race. New initiatives included a crafts table, a fishing hole and Bob the Beaver sponge-throw.
One member who truly got into the spirit was 69-year-old Faye Barron. The part-time cashier at Loblaws Carlingwood was thrilled about the jumping castle. “It was my first time in a jumping castle, it was lots of fun,” said Barron. “The whole day was lovely with good food and nice people.”
The Ottawa picnic was the third CAN event of the year. The last two were held in Toronto and London.
Proceeds, raised via the $5 entry fee per family, will be donated to the Faces of Our Children, an organization dedicated to raising awareness, support and funding for the fight against sickle cell disease worldwide.
