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 piece
created by local artist Ryan Longo, who organized this event to help out a local charity in his new hometown and to
showcase his impressive art. More information on Longo and his art can be found at www.ryanlongo-art.com. Petrick and
Longo 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, and
Eric Epstein, some of the musicians writing original songs about Bumpy the Angler Fish, Bumpy themed colouring pages
for 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 Feed
Ontario, Food Banks Canada, and are a Good Food Organization under the Community Food Centres Canada. They are a
registered charity and own their own building, allowing more funds to be diverted directly to their services. They also
established 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 at
nhcc.executivedirector@gmail.com. They recently had a Summer Music Kitchen Party fundraiser there on Aug. 4 that
raised around $700.
The NHCC reveals that food bank needs are skyrocketing and that they've seen an increase of 23.5 per cent in food
bank usage over the months of June to July and a 31.5 per cent climb over the statistics from the same time last year, a
dramatic 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 cash
donation in person at the Cupboard or online through their Canada Helps page at www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/26816, or
even 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 on
point.
“The songs that were written about Bumpy had a wide range of creativity and showed me how vibrant the artist
community is here. It was rewarding to see what a diverse spectrum of people the food drive brought in. This has been a
high point of Bumpy's life. Together we're exploring the possibilities of community building through multidisciplinary
art installations. Up next for Bumpy is Sunrun Revival. I've met some local artist out that way and it sounds like
Maynooth and Lake St. Peter are places I need to get to know. It will be a great time to experience Bumpy's night time
presence. This particular time of year has always been energetic to me. As Burning man unfolds thousands of kilometers
away, I feel a collective energy converging. Spending weeks there last year watching the city rise and fall with art I've
had a hand in creating as the backdrop. This year my focus has shifted to building community here. I have a few designs
out there right now being assembled for the big week. Exciting to watch through pictures and videos from the builder to
myself 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 us
support 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 voices
echoing through the neighbourhood which drew attention the event,” he says. “It's amazing how much talent we have
here in little Bancroft.”