Welland toy donations triple
The amount of support Christmas Community Toys saw at this point of its annual campaign in Welland last year is three times less than what has been donated this time around.
Sue Mariage, a co-ordinator of the drive that has been running in the city at Christmas since 1973, said her team was stocked and ready for when the doors opened at their storefront for this first time on Monday.
“People are donating left and right. Everything has tripled,” she said at the effort’s headquarters, located at Rose City Plaza, next to FreshCo.
Year after year, it seems the community outdoes its generosity from the previous holiday push.
“To me, everyone’s hearts get bigger,” said Mariage, who said not having to stress over the possibility of not having enough for the hundreds of needy families who will utilize the program, is a relief.
“It makes me comfortable and relaxed, because I know we’ll have more to give to the people,” she said, explaining that she expected Niagara Regional Police and Welland Fire and Emergency Services will be by soon with their annual contributions.
Boosting the collection this year was a major haul brought in by the Cassel’s Brock law firm and Bay Street Fore a Cause, an annual golf tournament in the Greater Toronto Area that caught wind of the local program through a former Welland resident who is connected to the charity and pulled some strings to support his hometown, also wishing not be named, according to Mariage.
She said the group up the QEW also donated to Port Cares in Port Colborne and Community Care in St. Catharines, providing each Niagara toy drive with at least 400 items.
“It was just a chain reaction,” she said.
Welland Community Toys is part of the Welland Community Christmas effort, a partnership with the Hope Centre, Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul.
The store at Rose City Plaza is open 10 a.m. to noon until Dec. 19, but closed Sunday.
Food donations are accepted year-round at Welland’s three food banks operated by Open Arms Mission, the Hope Centre, and Salvation Army.