Students at Courtice North Public School brought a lot of festive cheer to the launch of the 31st annual Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) Food and Toy Drive yesterday.
Boxes of food and toys generously donated by the school community filled the front of the gymnasium and was loaded up into vehicles destined for those in need this holiday season. A new addition to the fleet of vehicles collecting donations is a Durham Region Transit holiday bus, which will be used throughout the drive at various donation drive events.
Chief Paul Martin and Chief-for-a-Day winner Abrielle Sawyer-Danis, Co-ordinator Cst. Darryl Rice and CKDO Radio host Chris Koppin thanked the students for their generosity and spoke about the importance of giving back to the community and spreading kindness to others, said a DRPS statement.
The DRP musical band “The Heat” got the crowd excited by performing holiday songs as they eagerly awaited the guest of honour. Santa entered the gym and danced along with the students as DRPS members handed out candy canes to everyone.
The Food and Toy Drive began in 1989 and provides thousands of families in need in Durham Region with food and toys for the holiday season. Throughout the months of November and December local businesses, organizations and individuals donate food and toys, which are then picked up by volunteers, sorted and distributed to community agencies.
Donations can be dropped off at any DRPS Division, Regional Headquarters in Whitby, or any fire station in Oshawa, Whitby, Clarington and Ajax.
A special thank you goes to the many volunteers who will help with the Food and Toy Drive this year. They contributed more than 2,400 hours of work in 2018 and covered more than 25,000 km delivering food and toys.