by Mary P. Brooke      |         November 25, 2009

Potluck and good luck were on the agenda for the Sooke Food CHI organization at their Annual General Meeting (AGM). Held at Sooke Harbour House, the Wed. Nov.25, 2009 AGM attracted 22 attendees, about two-thirds of them members and the others curious as to the future of this group that has made a noticeable impact on the local-food security consciousness of Sooke residents in the past two years.

A significant organizational shift was the exit of four directors (Pia Caroll, Kathryn Kusyszyn, Ellen Lewers and Sheila Wallace) from their positions on the board and one heavily involved member (Jordan Marr, who coordinated the Fruit Tree Picking project this past summer). Four new board members Christine George, Denise George, Kelly Spragg and Jill Winstanley were confirmed by acclamation, joining Phoebe Dunbar and Mary Alice Johnson on the new 6-member board.

The meeting, co-chaired by Jessica Bouquist and Phoebe Dunbar (with significant input from Mary Alice Johnson), had the good fortune of the room fee being waived, and the participation several potential new members who expressed being impressed by recent achievements of Sooke Food CHI. 

In the past year the hard-working active board members had organized a Food Forum, started a community gardens project that operates in three locations, launched the Allotment Gardens (on land area loaned by the District of Sooke), tried a fruit tree picking project based on a model successful in Richmond and Victoria, and pulled off a well-attended outdoor food event on April 25 as part of BC 150 celebrations. 

Brainstorming to pick the brains of those attending resulted in over 30 suggestions for Sooke Food CHI activities for the 2009-2010 program year. Ideas ranged from promoting an agricultural land trust, to providing low-income families with funding for deer fencing, to partnerships with the Sooke Food Bank and the Sooke Fall Fair.  Simpler ideas included container gardening classes, a Sooke veggie garden tour, and education for backyard crop growing.  Johnson fielded the idea of changing the organization's official name, saying that Sooke Food CHI is not readily grasped or well understood by many; a straw vote showed more than 50 percent of those present in favour of finding a new name for the organization.

Development of a history of farming in Sooke was suggested, with the response that a document of that nature is presently being worked on by Sooke historian Elida Peers.

According to the financial statement issued at the meeting, the group had revenues of $44,346.37 in their Sept.08-Aug.09 fiscal year; after $33,107.27 in expenses, the organization's net income was $11,239.10.

Two members of the media were present. Sooke News Mirror editor Pirjo Raits received a carved bowl in thanks for her copious coverage of Sooke Food CHI in the past year. MapleLine Magazine editor Mary Brooke proposed a joint venture with Sooke Food CHI for MapleLine's upcoming public forum on environment and food issues being planned with keynote speaker Guy Dauncey in May 2010.

A seed-exchange event called Seedy Saturday was announced for Sat. February 27, being held at SEAPARC Leisure Complex.

After the formal meeting, local physician Dr. Ellen Anderson expressed her interest in having Sooke Food CHI help organize a food voucher system, as an alternative for some people who find the food bank lineups to be "a shaming experience" and where the food options are often "inappropriate" for a healthy diet.   MM

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