December 3, 2020 · 0 Comments
By Sam Odrowski
Dufferin OPP has partnered with the Salvation Army to take over a longstanding holiday tradition that was formerly hosted by the Orangeville Police Service.
The Toys for Tots Campaign is back and accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys, non-perishable food items, cash, and gift cards, which are distributed to individuals in need.
“The OPP’s very happy to pick up the torch and continue this tradition,” said Sgt. Paul Beaton of the OPP.
Officers kicked off the first weekend of the month-long campaign on November 27 and Beaton said the community far exceeded their expectations.
“Last weekend and on Friday evening we were overwhelmed with the generosity from the public. We’ve had five cruiser loads full of toys that we had collected in just a three hour timespan, so I think that speaks volumes to the generosity of our citizens,” said Beaton.
“In speaking with former Orangeville Police members, they say that this is a typical example of how generous the community is and I think we’re hoping that will continue.”
Beaton noted that he’s very grateful to see that donations are flooding in, when considering all of the economic turmoil created by the COVID-19 pandemic this year.
“As you can imagine with COVID, the need is probably 10 times what it has been in previous years, so we’re very happy to be able to work with the Salvation Army on this,” he told the Citizen.
“We all think it’s a very worthwhile cause.”
Beaton said Toys for Tots is an important initiative around the holidays for uplifting the community.
“Christmas is a special time for everyone, but mostly it’s a very special time for kids,” he noted. “So it’s important for the community to band together and be able to make a very special, magical Christmas for those [kids] that may not experience it otherwise.”
“I think that’s our goal here, is just to put a little bit of sunshine, a little bit of joy in somebody’s life,” Beaton added.
He says he would encourage people who can afford to donate this year, to stop by Walmart over the weekend and drop off a new, unwrapped toy, non-perishable food, a gift card or cash.
“Come by and see us, we’re not asking for the community to give everything they’ve got, we’re asking that they give what they can… and we’ll gladly accept it because there are people out there that are in need, and there’s kids out there that are looking to have a merry Christmas,” said Beaton.
In addition to donating at Walmart, people can drop donations off at the following locations:
• OPP Orangeville Detachment – 390 C Line
• OPP Primrose Detachment -506312 Highway 89
• The Salvation Army New Hope Community Church, 690 Riddell Road
• The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 162 Broadway
• DUCA Financial Services, 16 Broadway
• 7-Eleven, 288 Broadway
• Royal LePage RCR Realty, 75 First Street
• YMCA of Greater Toronto, 46 Dawson & 65 McCarthy Street
• 10 and 10 Garden Centre, 634026 Highway 10, Mono