Here's your one-stop guide to giving in Vaughan

YorkRegion.com
Dec. 4, 2014

Hundreds of Vaughan families need your help this holiday season and you can make a difference by participating in the West Woodbridge Homeowners Association's community toy and food drive.

All toys and food collected will be given to the Vaughan Food Bank for distribution to local families.

You can also donate event tickets, gift cards and monetary donations. Toys for children between newborn and 18 years of age are in need as well as non-perishable food items.

Bring your donation to 7944 Kipling Ave., in Woodbridge, Monday to Friday from 12 noon to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Donations will be accepted up until Dec. 22 for delivery before Christmas.

For more information, call 289-622-3840 or email wwha@wwha.ca.

CP24 Chum toy drive launched in Vaughan

The city launched its annual CP24 Chum Christmas Wish toy drive and you are invited to participate by donating a toy and helping to give a kid a Christmas.

Donations of unwrapped toys for children, newborn to18 years of age, can be dropped off at any of the following Vaughan locations before Friday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m.:

Community centres; fire stations; joint operations centre and public libraries.

You can also drop off your donation at Vaughan city hall, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr. before Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 12 noon.

CP24 Chum Christmas Wish 2014 will distribute the gifts to families in need.

Visit vaughan.ca for drop-off locations and more information.

 

Library launches food for fines

If you owe the library money, you may want to pick up some food.

To lower your library fines, that is.

Vaughan Public Libraries has launched its Food for Fines program.

You can donate non-perishable items to lower your library fines, Dec. 1 to 14.

Of course, you don’t have to owe money to participate.

Donations of non-perishable food items can be dropped off at any Vaughan library branch. Each item will lower your fines by $1.

Donations will be accepted at the service desk and will be given to the Vaughan Food Bank and Humanity First. Food items will not be accepted as replacement costs for lost or damaged items or for any fee payments (i.e. room rentals).

ITEMS NEEDED:
• Canned soups, fruits, vegetables, juice and pasta sauce
• Cereals (hot & cold) and pancake mixes
• Crackers, cookies and biscuits
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Pickles, jams, relishes and salad dressing
• Toiletries
• Baby diapers (sizes 3 to 6)

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED:
• Bulk food
• Fresh food
• “Junk” food
• Damaged items or opened packages
• Food past their “best before” dates

- Simone Joseph

Rotary TV auction benefits local charities

Score great deals, support local charities while beating the holiday crowds druing the 35th annual Richmond Hill Rotary TV Auction next weekend.

There is something for everyone, with auction items such as Leafs vs New York Rangers tickets for Feb. 10, 2015; Raptors vs Atlanta Hawks tickets for Jan. 16; Rogers Cup tennis gold tickets for Aug. 10; seven-night accommodation at Caribbean resort at Morgan Bay; a Toshiba SlimLED 32-in. screen HDTV; Gold facial & hot stone massage; a Touro Steakhouse $140 gift certificate and so much more.

If sports memorabilia is your passion, you’ll find a jersy signed by Johnny Bower, Bobby Orr-signed autobiography, or if you’d rather play the game yourself, bid on a foursome at Eagles Nest Golf Club in Vaughan.

All proceeds will go to charity, meaning your purchases are tax free. Bid right from the comfort of your own home as the auction will be broadcast live on Rogers TB Cable 63, or bid online at www.tvrotary.com. 

Tune in or log on to your computer Saturday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 11 p.m and Sunday, Dec. 7 from 4 to 8 p.m.

Item pick-up is at the Rogers Studio on Newkirk Road in Richmond Hill.

For more information, visit tvrotary.com.

The charities benefiting from this year’s auction are:

Canadian Spinal Research Organization; York Region Multiple Sclerosis; Hospice Richmond Hill; Easter Seals; Opera York; The York Centre for Children; Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra; Eva’s Initiatives; Sunshine Foundation; My House: Rainbow Resources of York Region; Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces in Vaughan; Rotaract Club of Richmond Hill; and Rotary Club of Richmond Hill.

Salvation Army bell ringers needed

Again this year, the Salvation Army is asking Vaughan residents and businesses for a holiday donation to help those in need.

Every year, the Salvation Army depends on support from business partners, which includes individual retailers, to place the Christmas donation kettles in their stores.

This year, the Christmas kettles will be hosted at more than 120 locations, including many in Vaughan. Kettle volunteers, also referred to as bell ringers, contribute a lot of time and effort to this great cause.

Anyone willing to ring the bells at a kettle or sponsor a kettle online should go to FilltheKettle.com. Donations can also be made at the Salvation Army Volunteer Centre, 55 Newkirk Rd., Richmond Hill.

—Sankavi Naguleswaran

Help Urban Barn with blanket campaign

Urban Barn is hosting its third annual Blanket the Country in Warmth campaign this winter season, collecting blankets for Dixon Hall’s Out of the Cold program. Dixon Hall in Toronto offers many support services for children, seniors and the homeless.

For every $5 in-store donation before Dec. 14, Urban Barn will provide a local shelter within the community with a new fleece blanket.

In last year’s campaign, Urban Barn was able to donate 10,000 blankets with the support of its customers. This year, Urban Barn hopes to donate 12,000 new fleece blankets.

There is an Urban Barn location in Vaughan at 401 Bass Pro Mills Dr.

For more, visit blanketthecountry.com.