It only makes sense that the Springwater Fire Department’s annual Stuff the Truck event starts around dinner time Wednesday evening.
Psychologically, it’s perfect.
Folks are home preparing their evening meal, searching through pantries and cupboards looking for the right ingredients.
As they search, they discover a number of items they rarely use, unsure of why they purchased them in the first place.
Rather than toss them, they gather them up, bag them and leave them at the end of their driveway, knowing the men and women of the local fire department are on their way to pick up their unopened goodies and deliver them to the Elmvale and District Food Bank.
“This program has been going for more than five years and every year we gather a generous amount of food,” said Springwater Township Fire Chief Jeff Kirk. “The food bank is always looking for non-perishable food items, such as canned goods and pasta, so we’re thrilled to be able to do our part to help.”
Starting at 6 p.m., Sept. 20, fire trucks will be making their way through Elmvale, Phelpston, Hillsdale, Anten Mills, Centre Vespra, Minesing, Midhurst, and Snow Valley to collect donations.
The trucks will follow the same route as each community’s Santa Claus parade. One of the department’s fire trucks — with lights flashing and sirens ringing — will lead the effort in each community, followed by a pickup truck that will gather the food stuffs contributed by residents.
For the route in Midhurst, the firefighters are adding community collection points (or CCPs) for those in the community who are not on the route, but still want to donate. Organizers ask donations to be placed at the CCPs by 6 p.m. The first CCP is Forest Hill Public School (16 Doran Rd.), followed by Cherry Park (90 Idlewood Dr.), and then Green Pine Park (at Willow Landing Road and Green Pine Gate).
While all food donations are accepted, the Elmvale and District Food Bank has a particular need for the following: canned potatoes, canned cream corn, cake mixes, pudding mix, turkey gravy, beef gravy, canned vegetables, cookies, apple juice, tomato juice, hamburger helper, canned tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
“All four of our stations are supporting this event in their respective communities,” Kirk said. “The men and women of our associations are always willing to help out and this is a great partnership.”
For those who would like to contribute but won’t be home when the firefighters do their collection, Kirk said they can drop donations off at the fire station in Minesing (2303 Ronald Rd.) anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Alternatively, there is a collection bin outside each of the township’s fire stations and there is one more at the Orr Lake Convenience Store.
To see the specific routes in your community, click here.
