A Santa Anonymous Depot for the Optimist Club of Prince Albert at the Gateway Mall for its annual toy drive. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

Christmas Cheer

P.A. Optimist Club toy drive gets underway

Nov 26, 2020 | 12:40 PM

The anonymous toy drive for the Optimist Club of Prince Albert kicked off this week, with board members from the club setting up bins for toys across the city yesterday afternoon.

The toy drive has been active in Prince Albert, collecting toys for children every year since 1961. Every donation goes toward the Salvation Army Christmas hampers.

Members of the Prince Albert Optimist Club deliver donation bins for the toy drive at Walmart, Wednesday afternoon. (Instagram/PA Optimists)

George Lewko, a member of the board of directors for the Optimist Club told paNOW donations can be made all the way up to Christmas. They will be collecting throughout the month when bins get full.

“We work in conjunction with the Salvation Army Christmas hamper program,” Lewko said. “People will have Christmas parties and instead of doing a gift exchange, they will bring toys for Santa Anonymous.”

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With less Christmas parties expected this year due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions made by the Government of Saskatchewan, the Optimist Club is hoping offices will continue to collect toys to donate, without having the party.

Lewko added with just under 1,000 hampers that go out to families each year they hope to collect approximately 2,000 toys.

He said in the past they received the least amount of toys for children under the age of two, and for girls aged 10 to 12. He asks the public to keep these age groups in mind when looking for toys to donate.

Prince Albert Optimist Club members deliver donation bins for the toy drive to the Art Hauser Centre, Wednesday afternoon. (Instagram/PA Optimists)

Major for the Prince Albert Salvation Army, Pamela Stranger said the toy drives contribution to the Christmas hampers is huge.

“We helped over 10,00 children last year, and we just could not do it without the Optimist’s support,” Stranger said.

She explained the Optimist club helps by adding personnel, putting out the bins, collecting toys, and bagging toys as well.

Stranger added there has been an increase in families turning to the Salvation Army for help this year.

“We are processing applications from new households. Some of those households are working families who have not been able to make ends meet, and are unable to afford Christmas this year,” Stranger said.

The Salvation Army would like to thank the community for their generous support and hope they can step up to the plate once more, with an increased need this year.

Depots for donations are located at the South Hill Mall, Gateway Mall, Canadian Tire, Walmart, Winners, City Hall, and the Art Hauser Centre.

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Dawson.thompson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: dawsonthompson8