Kicking off this year’s First Responders Food Drive, Fernie firefighters, BC Ambulance paramedics, and Mountainside Community Church Youth Group volunteers will be collecting donations for the Salvation Army’s Christmas Hampers on Nov. 19.
While in previous years the First Responders went door-to door-collecting non-perishable items such as canned food and hygiene products, this year, locals are encouraged to leave donations on front porches in boxes or bags to be picked up before 5 p.m on Nov. 19.
“There is always people in need out there, whether you know it or not,” said Wren Dirks, a BC Ambulance Fernie paramedic in charge of the food drive alongside Kent Nanninga.
“The Salvation Army relies upon donations to put their Christmas Hampers together every year, so this is a big push right before Christmas to fill up those hampers.”
According to Dirks, Fernie’s First Responders hope this year’s new collection format will allow them to save time in an effort to collect more donations than ever.
“We’re limited with volunteers to cover the whole town…I think this might give us a chance to get more coverage because we don’t have to actually knock on every door,” added Dirks.
Apart from the First Responder’s drive, anyone looking to make donations to the Salvation Army’s food hampers can do so at the Salvation Army centre anytime during business hours.
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