Warming the community
Winter wear given out during first annual Avon Valley Share the Warmth Drive
Angela Ross, who lives in St. Croix, wanted to do some good this year, and helping families stay warm this winter is one way she’s doing just that.
The first Avon Valley Share the Warmth Drive, which took place on Dec. 10 at the Hants County War Memorial Community Centre in Windsor, garnered a huge response.
“I got the idea from a friend of mine in the Western Shore that does it and takes it to the city for the homeless and it just made me wonder if Windsor had anything like this,” Ross said. “I decided to just do it.”
Ross gathered a huge stockpile of items by reaching out to the Town of Windsor, New Boundaries, area schools and people on her Facebook page, and the donations quickly started piling in.
“I got 56 bags of donations altogether, and I didn’t start collecting donations until the middle of November,” she said.
By the end of the drive, only 16 bags of donations remained, and those will be given to the Angela Ross said she was thrilled with the response to the first Avon Valley Share the Warmth Drive, which saw almost 40 large bags of donated winter clothing given out to those in need.
Matthew 25 Windsor and Area Food Bank, where they’ll be distributed free of charge.
“Everybody who’s come through has been really, really grateful,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to help people but have never really
taken the initiative to do it, but I just wanted to help.”
Ross said she’s already planning to hold a similar event next year, citing the incredible response she’s received from the community.
Ross said she was very thankful for all of the support she received including from Tim Hortons, which donated coffee during the drive, and the Victory Credit Union, which was the largest drop off site.
Chrystina Purvis said she was very grateful for the Avon Valley Share the Warmth Drive, taking several items home for her family.
“My son is in a wheelchair, and this was very helpful, trying to find a winter jacket for him,” Purvis said. “I’ve picked up some things for other people I know who need winter jackets, they’re having issues and troubles with money.”
Purvis said there aren’t many opportunities similar to this in Windsor, to stock up on warm clothing free of charge.
She picked up winter jackets, jogging pants, blankets, mittens, hats, scarves and more for her family and others.
“I wish these type of things happened more often because there’s a lot of people in Windsor that this would be good for,” she said. “It’s especially hard around this time of year, trying to clothe three children for the winter, so this is very good.”