GRAVENHURST - In advance of their traditional peeling of bells, the local Salvation Army is putting out the appeal for donations.
The Christmas season is quickly approaching and starting tomorrow, Nov. 1, Salvation Army staff and volunteers will be accepting applications for food hampers and toys while the organization is also starting their hunt for donations.
Corrine Hall, the Gravenhurst Salvation Army’s family services coordinator, is hoping to fill plenty of hampers of food for the needy and is calling on the community to make sure children have gifts to open this holiday season. “There’s all kinds of ways that people can help this year,” she said.
People can make monetary donations for the food drive and the Salvation Army staff will pick out items of greatest need. Otherwise, Hall said there is often a need for specific food items such as canned fruit and vegetables, jams and peanut butter, canned salmon and tuna and soups, particularly vegetable and chicken noodle.
Angel trees are starting to appear around town at many businesses and people are encouraged to claim an angel paper ornament from them. The ornaments will identify the youth’s gender and age range and people are asked to place the age-appropriate, unwrapped gift under the trees with the ornament attached. Those collections will be taking place until Dec. 13 when the Salvation Army will go out to collect them.
They will be handed out to the needy on Dec. 18.
Hall said come Nov. 17, the bell ringers and their collection bins will begin to appear on Gravenhurst’s streets and be in place until Dec. 24.
If anyone would like to apply for a Christmas food hamper or Christmas toys, they must drop by the Salvation Army at the Gravenhurst Community Church (620 Muskoka Road North) and bring with them their ID and an income and expenses list to prove need.
The hours of operation are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. People can also call 705-687-2131 for more information.
Applications are being accepted from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30.