By Margaret Maccoll
Fresh fruit and vegetables either grown at Noosa Pengari Steiner School or brought in by students was last week donated to OzHarvest to be distributed to 13 organisations across the Sunshine Coast to feed people in need.
School principal Francis Klugman said the bounty was collected as part of the school’s Autumn Festival, a celebration of the season of Autumn and abundant harvest, and was the third year it had been given to OzHarvest. On the final day of school before the two week holiday break students stage a performance of Saint Michael taming the Dragon before a blessing of the bounty in a celebration akin to Michaelmas, a religious feast held on 29 September which traditionally coincided with the harvest in much of western Europe.
OzHarvest coordinator Michele Lipner said the bounty would feed about 60 people and provide about 300 meals but would all be gone by Tuesday as the demand from an increasing number of people in need in the region continued to grow.
Michele said the organisation collected about 10,000kg of food a month from various outlets including the Noosa Farmers Market and Woolworths and delivered it to organisations including church groups, charities, community centres and schools.
“Just one charity, the Salvos at Noosa, feeds 50 to 80 people a week,” she said. “That’s a significant number.”
Mr Klugman said the event was a great way for the school to contribute to the local community, through its rich curriculum.
“Seasonal Festivals offer an important means for our students to connect with the various rhythms and systems in the natural world, building a strong sense of connectedness and understanding,” he said.
