Firefighters collecting donations for food bank
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Tillsonburg residents are being asked once again to show their support for the Helping Hand Food Bank during this year’s Santa Claus parade.
Local firefighters will be out collecting non-perishable food items along the parade route this Saturday, November 17, 2012
“This year like other years in the past, firefighters, the firefighters association and the communicators association, will be collecting canned food items for the local food bank during the Santa Claus parade,” said Tillsonburg Fire Chief, Jeff Smith. “We will have firefighters out in bunker gear and our communicators (dispatchers) will also be assisting us this year. We’ll be trying to fill up the trailer behind the fire truck with food.
“It’s great for us as an entire department, to be involved.”
The annual food collection is a long-standing tradition said Smith and has been a part of the Santa Claus parade for a number of years.
“It’s just a great way for us to make a donation to the food bank, collect it when we have a lot of people out - it’s a good way to start the parade,” he added.
Members of the public can bring one or several food items with them to the parade on Saturday.
The Helping Hand Food Bank is currently in need of fruit cups for children’s lunches, ketchup, sugar, instant coffee, powdered milk, baby food, baby formula, peanut butter, tubs of margarine and dish soap.
“We’re looking for canned goods or other non-perishable goods that we can put into the trailer and collect during the parade.”
Smith pointed out that the annual food collection can have a big impact for many families in the community and is a way the firefighters to give back.
“The firefighters in town are all volunteer, they have regular daytime jobs - and when the pager goes off, they come to the fire hall and they put on their firefighters gear,” said Smith.
“By definition, they’re community minded individuals. This is just another way for them to show that dedication to the community.”