Good beats, good eats

You can help feed hungry people and at the same time enjoy a wide range of musical talent in Iqaluit Friday evening, at “Beats for Eats,” an outdoor concert and barbecue organized by the Niqinik Nuatsivik Nunavut Food Bank.

Food bank organizers will hold the event in front of Nakasuk School. If the weather’s bad they’ll move it into either the parish hall or Inuksuk high school.

The concert grounds will open at 5 p.m., and musicians will start playing as soon as the sound system is set up.

“People should come out and have a good time even if they can’t donate. It’s going to be a fun time,” said Jen Hayward, a food bank volunteer.

Hayward said the concert will feature music by performers such as Don Corbett and Jamal Shirley, The Road to Nowhere Band, Jane McDermott, Higher Ground and many others.

You can also buy tickets for grilled hot dogs and face paintings to help support the food bank.

Four pickup trucks will be parked at the event to receive your donations of food.

Like the “stuff-a-bus” event in Iqaluit last Christmas, their plan is to fill every one of those trucks with food. Organizers will also be ready to receive cash donations, if that’s what you prefer to give.

Hayward said the food bank’s greatest need is for canned meat and canned fruit.

But she said the food bank has never run out of food this year.

“We’ve done pretty well. We haven’t had to close our doors once this year. The community has been really generous,” Hayward said.

The food bank is still looking for a permanent location. Right now they store food at the Northwestel garage. Every second Saturday, they transfer it to the Inuit Broadcasting Corp.’s office for distribution to the public.

Hayward said that the food bank is looking at options and hopes to be in a permanent spot by the winter.