Food Is Free Inc. is holding a cinema screening fundraiser of the amazing film Food Fighter, the story of Oz Harvest CEO & founder Ronni Kahn who is an inspiring eco warrior and waste crusader. Tickets won't be available on the door (pre-sales only), so hurry and get your ticket via https://fan-force.com/screenings/food-fighter-regent-cinemas-ballarat/

Come along and meet the Food Is Free Inc. crew! Speeches on the evening and a screening of the enlightening film will kick off at 7pm on Wed 15 August. A portion of the proceeds will go towards future food security and anti-food wastage projects we are developing to take place at our new Food Is Free Green Space (Western Oval). Please come and support us!

​

​Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...

This week we feature the Polanske family who are our longest serving volunteers, and they do their Laneway shifts as a family. Ginelle who we start with, is the Mum of the family, who also just happens to be our amazing Food Is Free Inc. Chair!

Ginelle :

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
Since 2015

​2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
Autumn & Spring walks around the beautiful neighbourhoods and our laneways

3). Who or what inspires you?
The way our community has taken on board the FIF ideas.

4). What is your favourite food?
Meredith’s Goat Cheese

5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Snow peas – delicate, hiding secrets and I love the purple ones!

6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I live with my husband and 2 kids.

7). What do you do to relax?
Sleep

8). Do you have any hobbies?
Woodwork & photography.

9). What does community mean to you?
Working with others on a common cause that brings us into the same circle to share interests and friendships.

10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
Stop throwing things away that create unnecessary waste and damage to our sea creatures.

Ella : 

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
Since Mid 2015 when I was just baby.

2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
Going to the milk bar on Pleasant Street for ice-cream
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
Grandma & Grandpa – they take me to the local parks & playgrounds and Food Is Free.

4). What is your favourite food?
Pizza

5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Tomato (although I know it’s a fruit!)
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I live with Mum & Dad and my brother Lucas
 
7). What do you do to relax?
Pop on my dressing gown and lie on the couch.
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Playing with my dolls.
 
9). What does community mean to you?
Being a part of the Laneway with Lou.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
​Put all my rubbish in the bin.

Lucas : 

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
​Since 2015 when I was at kindergarten – Fidelity Kinder next to the FIF Green Space.
 
2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
Going to a great local school – Urquhart Park Primary School
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
Brendon Goddard (I do like football!)
 
4). What is your favourite food?
Pizza
 
5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Cucumber (might be a fruit!)
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I live with Mum and Dad and my sister Ella.
 
7). What do you do to relax?
​Watch football games.
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Football & Lego.
 
9). What does community mean to you?
Getting together with people and meeting new people.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
Try to make sure everyone is nice to each other.

Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...

​Karen

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
 About 6 months
 
2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
 Country lifestyle with city convenience and all the people I have met through sustainable living
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
Peter Cundall, Costa Georgiadis, David Attenborough, David Homgren, and most of the permies I know ….
 
4). What is your favourite food?
Roast lamb & roast veg
 
5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Potato
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
1 person, 1 dog, 4 hens
 
7). What do you do to relax?
Read, garden (veg and insectary plants), drink red wine, visit/dine with friends, go to the movies
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, I knit, crochet and make quilts. I love attending classes to learn new things and I “collect” techniques such as felting, dyeing and so on that I can incorporate into these activities. Having said that, I dream about it more than I do it. My “mojo” has been conspicuous by its absence of late.

9). What does community mean to you?
Community for me is people who share similar values and have similar goals with regard to sustainability and voluntary simplicity, people who are happy to share their knowledge and skills for a better world, people who make me laugh and know how to enjoy the simple pleasures, people who care about others.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
Open the eyes of all the climate change deniers and make them ACT to mitigate the problems, especially the politicians and business leaders who driven chiefly by $ for themselves and not the “greater good”.