Volunteers in local communities, including Martensville and Warman, are looking to help make the Christmas season a little brighter for the less fortunate.
Campaigns encouraging people to donate food, gift certificates, toys and money got rolling in earnest in November.
The Martensville Fire Department (MFD) is now accepting donations for non-perishable food, hygiene products and new gift donations. Cash is also accepted. The donations all go toward Christmas hampers that MFD volunteers and local community organizations put together at the Martensville Fire Hall in mid-December.
A bin for donations to the MFD Christmas hampers is located in the lobby of Martensville City Hall. The deadline for collection is Friday, December 15.
The MFD program has been an annual event for more than 25 years. Items that are most needed include: canned fruits and vegetables, packaged soup, dry pasta and sauce, pancake syrup and mix, toilet paper, and juice boxes. Children’s toys are also needed. Nominations for individuals and families in need can be made by contacting the Martensville City Hall office at 306-931-2166.
A similar Christmas hamper food drive is underway in Warman.
The Warman Food Bank, located in the Awakening Church on Main Street in Warman, is providing hampers to families in the city that are struggling financially to provide a Christmas meal and gifts for their children. The hampers include food donations, gift cards for the local grocery stores and toys for the kids.
Volunteers with Warman Fire Rescue (WFR) will be delivering the hampers to needy families this year.
WFR members are also encouraging donations by holding a “Parade of Lights” on Tuesday, December 12. The parade features decorated fire,police and city vehicles and heavy equipment that will visit all the seniors care homes in the city. Residents are encouraged to drop by the Warman Fire Hall from 7 to 8 p.m. on December 12 when the parade is finished. Residents can drive through the fire hall compound and see all the trucks lit up, as well as drive through the fire hall to donate cash and non-perishable food items to the Warman Food Bank.