The Bradford Lions Club presented a cheque for $2,000 to Toy Mountain on Thursday evening at the South Simcoe Police Station in Bradford, one of many locations where donations are being collected for children in need of gifts this Christmas.
The year 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Toy Mountain campaign in partnership with Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions and CTV. The campaign aims to ensure children receive gifts at Christmas, and with the current state of the pandemic, the number of families in need this year continues to grow.
“We know that with Covid there are a lot of families that are struggling this time of year, ” notes Jim Slykhuis, President of the Bradford Lions Club. “So, by making this donation we’re hoping that every child gets something for Christmas… and know that there are people in town that care about them.”
The Bradford Lions Club also recently donated to Bradford Valley, the LOFT Bradford House, and the [Helping Hand] Food Bank. Slykuis shares that much of the funds were raised by the Lions from past fundraisers and other initiatives collected over the last year.
“It’s not just the toys for Toy Mountain we’re trying to help out with, but also elsewhere within the community, ” says Slykhuis.
“There’s a lot of people who have lost their jobs or have taken pay cuts or cuts in their hours and are trying to survive on what the government is handing out. We all know that just managing to pay rent and put food on the table generally takes the bulk of their income. So, the extra income to buy Christmas gifts or buy things that they really need, isn’t there, which is why the Lions are stepping in to help out. This is what we do. We’re a community service organization and it’s what we raise money for all year.”
Staff Sergeant Lewis DaSilva of South Simcoe Police states “this year obviously with Covid, it’s presented special challenges with collecting toys… and to remain safe we haven’t been able to do that. So, today is a perfect example of how the community has stepped up, especially the Lions of Bradford, to make those donations and make Toy Mountain a possibility.”
Melanie McLearon, director communications & community relations for Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions accepted the cheque donation from the Bradford Lions on behalf of Toy Mountain, sharing “it’s a wonderful way to see the community coming out and supporting the South Simcoe area.”
“Definitely every year the need tends to grow,” says McLearon. “But this year, of course with Covid, we’ve seen a dramatic spike for those in need and request from people who normally wouldn’t have to access supports like this, they definitely need more assistance. And so, $2,000 will go a long way to support lots of children and ensure they can have something special to celebrate the holidays with.”
Toy Mountain collects and distributes toys for boys and girls ages 0-12 and will be collecting up to Dec. 16. The campaign is usually short on toys for ages 0-2 and 11-12 year old categories and appreciates attention to these groups.
Donations to Toy Mountain can make an online here: Donate Now - Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions (canadahelps.org)
