There is a storage container in the far corner of the parking lot at Parker's Your Independent Grocer that will either remind winter vacationers to tropical places of their unfortunate experiences with Montezuma's Revenge or serve as a reminder of how this community "rolls" when it comes together to help those in need.
Despite the mountains of food donated by the public, often overlooked in the generous donations to the North Bay Food Bank are items for personal hygiene, said volunteers. Stocks of toiletries and feminine hygiene products diminish quickly, as do rolls of toilet paper.
Representatives from the Best Western have supported the cause in each of the four years of existence, and they were among the first to arrive at the storage container Friday with cases of toilet paper in tow.
There are various drop-off locations across the city. Fire Station One on Princess Street and Auntie Jane's Restaurant on the Lakeshore overpass will accept donations throughout the month. Every Saturday in May, donations are welcomed at the Van's storage container in Parker's parking lot from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday drop-offs will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:
- May 6 - Fresh Co (Trout Lake Road)
- May 13 - Canadian Tire (McKeown Avenue)
- May 13 - Rexall (Fisher Street)
- May 20 - Parker's Your Independent Grocer (Laurentian Avenue)
- May 27 - Giant Tiger (Lakeshore Drive)
For more information on TP North Bay's 4th Annual Toilet Paper Drive, email [email protected] or Facebook: TPNorthBay
The Food Bank distributes more than 11,000 rolls of toilet paper per year to clients. The drive aims to collect 20,000 rolls. In 2014, a record 15,465 rolls were donated. In 2015, 11,761 rolls were donated to 18 organizations, followed by 12,268 rolls to 20 organizations in 2016.
The drive will run until Saturday, May 27 when a final count will take place at the storage container in Parker's parking lot. Monday, May 29, the TP will be delivered to the Food Bank and a donation will also be made to Salvation Army Food Bank.
