The generosity of northwestern Ontario’s communities continues in 2022 as three local organizations have made some major donations to those in need over the holiday season.
Staff with the Kenora Chiefs Advisory came together earlier this week to donate over 12,000 pounds of food and over 1,450 toys to children and families of nine communities in northwestern Ontario for the holidays, as well as donations to the Fellowship Centre, Jubilee Church and other local organizations.
“We’ve received these donations for a few years now, and every year we are blown away with the kindness and generosity towards our communities and our membership," said Niisaachewan First Nation Chief Lorraine Cobiness.
“We truly want to say a profound Miigwetch, and just share our deepest gratitude for the continuous support from these groups over the years, and are excited to be able to give every child in our communities a new toy this Christmas,” adds Chief Cobiness.
KCA notes that donations came from Exceldor, Lamb Weston, Saidham Foodbank, All Gold, Concord Premium Meats, The Meat Factory, CDC, Giant Tiger, Wild Fork and SpinMaster Ltd, with transportation help from Norseman Cartage, Confederation Freezers, Trucks for Change and Erb Transport.
In Dryden, staff at Dryden GM and the Beyak Automotive Group purchased and donated a whopping 132 turkeys for the Dryden Food Bank to give away over the holidays, totalling over $5,000 of poultry.
And to continue with the giving spirit, 20 members of Dryden’s Unifor Local 324 union donated $2,000 to Dryden’s Hoshizaki House as Unifor National made donations of over $150,000 to 78 women’s shelters across Canada.
“Local shelters provide life-saving assistance as frontline providers of crisis services to women and children who are living with domestic violence,” said Carol Jolicouer, Chair of Unifor Local 324 Women's Committee.
“Unifor's donations in Dryden and across Canada are going toward a very worthy cause and the ongoing support is greatly appreciated,” she adds.
Unifor members also joined the OPP and community members in a candlelight march on December 6, to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Montreal Massacre and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
And residents are reminded that each year, Q104, KenoraOnline and DrydenNow ask northwestern Ontario for its continued support as we collect as many donations of new, unwrapped toys and cash as we can to help women’s shelters in Kenora, Dryden and Sioux Lookout with Toys and Toonies.
Cash and toy donations can still be made at Tracy’s No Frills in Kenora until December 24, as well as all of our local partners:
Posh & Pixie
Days Inn Kenora
Image One Home & Cottage
Weekend Adventure
Taggs Source for Sports
McTaggarts (Dryden and Sioux Lookout)
HoJoe Coffee & Eatery
Kenora GM
Giant Tiger (Sioux Lookout)
All donations will be given to Saakaate House Kenora, Hoshizaki House Dryden and the First Step Women’s Shelter in Sioux Lookout. All donations are appreciated.