Village Feast in Souris draws 1,000 people for 9th annual event
Feast has raised $250K for local, international charities over 9 years
About a thousand people gathered in Souris, P.E.I., on Sunday to take part in the 9th annual Village Feast — a fundraiser for both local and international charities — with a meal overseen by celebrity chef Michael Smith.
Organizers say the feast has raised $250,000 over the past nine years — $82,000 has gone to the Souris Food Bank, $10,000 has gone towards local cooking classes and $12,000 has gone to the Coats for Kids Program.
A large portion of the proceeds — about $140,000 in total — has gone overseas to build cook houses in Kenya.
"We're doing so well that we can share with another village all the way around the world," said Smith, who calls the feast the most important event on his yearly calendar.
A destination for diners, volunteers
Organizers say about half of the people who take part in the feast and half of those who work as volunteers come from off-Island.
"We just love coming here — the camaraderie of everybody and you meet new friends. It's just a really good feeling overall, it's a very enjoyable experience and you're doing a good cause, it all ends up being for a good cause," said Mark Emond, a volunteer from Ontario.
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With files from Jessica Doria-Brown