What does eight tonnes of food look like?

That's enough to fill an entire semi-trailer and then some.

And that's what folks in Abbotsford saw on a snowy Saturday morning as a large convoy of fire trucks, a Save-On Foods semi, and several pickup trucks, all loaded with food made its way from the Fraser Valley Automall to the Abbotsford Food Bank.

It was the largest food drop made to the Abbotsford Food Bank in its history, said manager Dave Murray.

The sixth annual food drive partnered Save-On Foods with the Fraser Valley Automall and Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service.

Steve Magown, manager of the auto mall and co-coordinator of the event is thrilled to see the drive grow bigger each year to meet the immense need in the community.

"Everyone at the mall, Save-On-Foods Sumas Way

and Whatcom Road and the Abbotsford Fire and Rescue Auxiliary teamed up to make this a giant

success," he said.

"With all the drastic recent news bombarding us in the last few days, it is a bit of a relief to see a group of people team up to perform an unsolicited act of kindness."

Local auxiliary firefighters went door to door all over town in recent weeks, collecting food donations and raising more than $3,000 cash.

All eight dealers in the auto mall collected non-perishable food in decorated vehicles in their showrooms, and each contributed $1,000 to the cause. All the money was given directly to Save-On Foods who turned the donated cash into an 'at-cost' purchase that saw the value of food purchases almost double.

"To see this convoy of donations on the road is quite emotional when one thinks of how may families are positively touched by this unsolicited act of kindness," said Magown.