This page was exported from Bancroft this Week [ https://www.bancroftthisweek.com ] Export date:Thu Sep 10 16:15:10 2026 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: Fill the Fish fundraiser for NHCC garners 400 pounds of food and $400 --------------------------------------------------- Artist and organizer Ryan Longo at the Fill the Fish fundraiser on Aug. 29. /MICHAEL RILEY, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter By Michael Riley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The “Fill the Fish, Feed the Community” fundraiser for the North Hastings Community Cupboard was a success on Aug.29 at their 2 Madawaska Street location, raising around $400 and 400 pounds of food, according to journalist/educator,and NHCC board member Stephen Petrick. The “fish” in question is called Bumpy the Angler Fish, a metal art piececreated by local artist Ryan Longo, who organized this event to help out a local charity in his new hometown and toshowcase his impressive art. More information on Longo and his art can be found at www.ryanlongo-art.com. Petrick andLongo comment to The Bancroft Times on this latest fundraiser for the Cupboard. The fundraiser on Aug. 29 also featured a barbecue, musical performances by Gioia Guerriero, Craig McEathron, andEric Epstein, some of the musicians writing original songs about Bumpy the Angler Fish, Bumpy themed colouring pagesfor the kids, a ring toss game onto Bumpy's large metallic teeth, and more.The NHCC has been serving the region as a registered and licensed food bank since 1992, and they belong to FeedOntario, Food Banks Canada, and are a Good Food Organization under the Community Food Centres Canada. They are aregistered charity and own their own building, allowing more funds to be diverted directly to their services. They alsoestablished Bancroft's first community gardens, now located at their 2 Madawaska Street address. For more information,go to www.northhastingscommunitycupboard.com, or email Executive Director Marlene Bell atnhcc.executivedirector@gmail.com. They recently had a Summer Music Kitchen Party fundraiser there on Aug. 4 thatraised around $700. The NHCC reveals that food bank needs are skyrocketing and that they've seen an increase of 23.5 per cent in foodbank usage over the months of June to July and a 31.5 per cent climb over the statistics from the same time last year, adramatic increase. They've seen a 19 per cent increase in meal program numbers for July, or almost 1,100 meals served,over the same time last year. If attending the fundraiser on Aug. 29 is not an option, they invite you to make a cashdonation in person at the Cupboard or online through their Canada Helps page at www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/26816, oreven spread the word about the Cupboard and the work that they do in the community.Longo told The Bancroft Times that it was a fantastic event with really great vibes all around and the music was onpoint. “The songs that were written about Bumpy had a wide range of creativity and showed me how vibrant the artistcommunity is here. It was rewarding to see what a diverse spectrum of people the food drive brought in. This has been ahigh point of Bumpy's life. Together we're exploring the possibilities of community building through multidisciplinaryart installations. Up next for Bumpy is Sunrun Revival. I've met some local artist out that way and it sounds likeMaynooth and Lake St. Peter are places I need to get to know. It will be a great time to experience Bumpy's night timepresence. This particular time of year has always been energetic to me. As Burning man unfolds thousands of kilometersaway, I feel a collective energy converging. Spending weeks there last year watching the city rise and fall with art I'vehad a hand in creating as the backdrop. This year my focus has shifted to building community here. I have a few designsout there right now being assembled for the big week. Exciting to watch through pictures and videos from the builder tomyself the designer. It's a special time of year for anyone aligned with the ethos of Burning man,” he says.Stephen Petrick, a board member with NHCC, told The Bancroft Times that they had another great event. “We're always impressed and grateful for how the community rallies around us and helps ussupport the people who depend on our services. In terms of music, we had many of the same performers from last time— and a few new ones — and it was amazing how each performer lent us their gifts; we had some powerful voicesechoing through the neighbourhood which drew attention the event,” he says. “It's amazing how much talent we havehere in little Bancroft.” --------------------------------------------------- Images: https://www.bancroftthisweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FilltheFish1-1024x768.jpg https://www.bancroftthisweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FilltheFish5-1024x768.jpg https://www.bancroftthisweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FilltheFish4-1024x768.jpg https://www.bancroftthisweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FilltheFish3-1024x788.jpg https://www.bancroftthisweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FilltheFish2-1024x768.jpg --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2026-09-10 11:51:07 Post date GMT: 2026-09-10 15:51:07 Post modified date: 2026-09-10 11:52:04 Post modified date GMT: 2026-09-10 15:52:04 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.co