Community Lunch Box Tadbitz: Meet Eric

My name is Quinn Fisher. I have always enjoyed writing for fun and at several points in my life I have considered journalism as a career possibility. When I was approached about the opportunity of writing a weekly column highlighting special events, volunteers and employees in the community, I was immediately excited about the idea. It’s the people who make Whitecourt such a great place to live. I’m happy to introduce some of these special citizens to you here. Here is this week’s story.

“We need bottles!” is the rallying cry of Eric Parent, one of the Whitecourt Community Lunch Box employees, when I asked what he wished other people knew about this community initiative. Eric started working for the Lunch Box bottle drop-off program when it first started in 2014. His job duties include picking up bottles from twelve businesses across Whitecourt on Mondays and Tuesdays and meticulously sorting them every week at the Lunch Box sorting building that is located behind Canadian Tire.

No stranger to sorting bottles, Eric once had his own bottle-sorting business and employed several people to help sort them on a weekly basis. It wasn’t without its hardships however. Imagine 30+ weather and bags full of rotting milk and other lovely nose-curdling odours including half-eaten sandwiches.

Eric persevered through all of this for five years until Tara Baker, the Lunch Box program founder, approached him with the idea of the bottle drop off program in late 2014. The rest, as they say, is history.

Quick to smile and laugh, Eric was a pleasure to interview. When Eric isn’t working he can be found spending time with friends and watching movies. He was adamant that his favourite movie is “The Dark Knight.” This was quickly evident as he began quoting whole movie scenes from this film. He particularly likes going out for meals and enjoys attending social functions for the Lunch Box Program with Tara Baker and coworkers.

Eric is only one of the Lunch Box Program’s energetic employees and volunteers. His ready smile and enthusiasm are always appreciated by his co-workers. But what Eric likes best about his job is his boss’s awesome truck!

Eric Parent flashes a peace sign while sorting bottles for the Community Lunch Box Program.