Yesterday afternoon, Christmas came a little early for three local charities as the Staples store on Algonquin Avenue presented $3,700 to help those organizations provide for local children. The money was raised during the store’s busy back to school period, as customers donated to the cause as part of the nation-wide Staples School Supply Drive.
Each store raises funds, and the money collected stays local to help regional charities. Pat Lynch, the general manager of North Bay’s Staples, works with the Kiwanis Club to help find charitable organizations to present the cheques too, as each year, different charities are chosen.
See: Kiwanis Club and Staples donate to local charities
This year, the charities selected were Packsac Smiles, Crisis Centre North Bay, and Nipissing Transition House. Each received $1,233 to put towards helping children in our region.
For instance, Packsac Smiles provides back to school packsacks for local underprivileged kids. The packs are filled with all the school essentials, and can also include clothing, shoes, dental supplies, and a book. The group has been helping students from junior kindergarten to grade eight since 2005, and this year gave 302 backpacks.
Carole Kerrigan has volunteered with the organization for many years, and she was on hand to accept the donation. She mentioned how Packsac Smiles runs on the generosity of the volunteers and donors, and currently, there about 100 people volunteering to get those packsacks packed and distributed. North Bay residents are “so generous” she said, and the funds will go far to help some kids get fit for school.
Sue Rinnard serves as the executive director of Crisis Centre North Bay, an emergency shelter that accepts men, women, and children through its doors. The center’s programs receive funding through the Province of Ontario via the Ministry of Community and Social Services, Ministry of Children and Youth Services, Attorney General, the Government of Canada through Correctional Services Canada and the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board.
However, these funds are earmarked mostly for operating costs, so donations like these allow staff to pick up some craft supplies or a colouring book for the kids in need to help brighten the day. It’s a similar situation at Nipissing Transition House, noted acting executive director Charlene Gravelle.
Nipissing Transition House provides a safe space for abused women and their children. Government funding keeps the lights on, but little extras like gifts for the kids is a luxury that donations like this make possible.
“Kiwanis is all about helping kids,” Jim Cluff said. He’s the current secretary of the Kiwanis Club and has served as a member for around 30 years. He was accompanied by club president Justin Wigelius, who was elected to the position this past October. He emphasized how Kiwanis is doing well but could always use more members to help the club help the community’s children.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
