On the game show Supermarket Sweep, contestants are given free rein to stock their shopping carts with as many groceries as they can cram in.
It’s the same idea behind the Flin Flon Kinette Club’s Grocery Grab.
Cassandra Barron recently dashed through the aisles of North of 53 Consumers Co-op, stuffing into her carts everything from milk and canned coffee to olive oil and diapers.
It wasn’t a total free-for-all. Barron was required to keep at least one hand on her cart and one foot on the floor at all times, unless two hands were required to liberate a heavy item from the shelf.
Sweeping motions were also barred – this wasn’t curling! – and she needed to retrieve at least one item from every aisle.
Empty carts awaited Barron at each aisle. After her three minutes of cart cramming were up, she left with $666 worth of items – with the Kinettes picking up the tab and receiving a charitable discount.
Her mom, Giselle Barron, had her name drawn for the rapid shopping spree. Unable to attend, she sent Cassandra in her place.
The draw featured five finalists, each of whom showed up for a final draw on Sunday, March 20, before the Co-op opened to customers.
Four of them received $50 gift certificates from the Co-op. Cassandra happily accepted the top prize.
Diane Therien, treasurer of the Kinettes, notes this was the second installment of Grocery Grab following last year’s inaugural event.
She says the latest installment generated about $1,000 to help the club meet community needs as they come up.
The club is considering holding a third Grocery Grab leading up to Christmas, but nothing has been finalized.
Therien brought the idea to Flin Flon after she was out of town and saw a photo of a similar event in an old newspaper.
