‘Tis the season for giving and the Fergus Lions Club has partnered with Reliable Ford Motors to host its 11th annual toy drive in support of the Centre Wellington Food Bank this Christmas.
“We’re really excited to be partnering with Greg McCabe and the Reliable Ford team again,” said Fergus Lion toy drive chair Gary Waterhouse. “The staff have already contributed and they are just fantastic.”
The official kick-off began on Nov. 16, with members of the Fergus Lions Club presenting a cheque for $1,000 to food bank board chair Julie Andrews and manager Fred Aleksandrowicz.
“Christmas is truly a hard time for our clients, because they really wan to give their children a good Christmas, and this is a big help,” Andrews said.
With over 350 area families in need of support from the food bank, Aleksandrowicz says events like the toy drive make a real difference in the lives of the families, many of which include single parents with an average monthly income of $1000 or less.
“It is so important for our clients,” Aleksandrowicz said. “This is such a wonderful event because it helps local families directly.”
New, unwrapped toys will be collected under the Christmas tree in the main showroom of Reliable Ford until Dec. 13. Cash donations will also be accepted at the main reception desk.
“We are looking for toys for all ages up to about the age of 16,” Waterhouse said. “And we hope that people will think about the older children too. Things like gift certificates make great gifts for older children, to have the opportunity to get something special that they can choose themselves.”
Andrews reminds people to consider the children of families who rely on the food bank go to school in our community and see first-hand all the gifts other children receive.
“This toy drive is fabulous because it gives people back their dignity,” she said. “It’s hard enough for these families to buy food, much less gifts.”
Greg McCabe, owner of Reliable Ford, says he enjoys hosting the toy drive because he sees the families come out; often parents with their own children, teaching them the value of giving.
“What’s really comforting is knowing we live in a small community and the local support is overwhelming,” McCabe said.
“My staff enjoy seeing the support and knowing that people care.”
The Fergus Lions and Reliable Ford toy drive runs from Nov. 16 to Dec. 13 and collects new, unwrapped toys and cash donations during regular business hours at the Reliable Ford dealership at 990 Tower Street South, in Fergus.
For more information call 519-843-3060.
