Headed up by the Vankleek Hill Lions Club, volunteers will be going door-to-door in Vankleek Hill on Wednesday, December 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to collect non-perishable food items for the Vankleek Hill Food Bank. All items collected will be delivered to the Archie Hardy Hall at Knox Presbyterian Church where the food items will be sorted in preparation for the Christmas Basket assembly. The Vankleek Hill Volunteer Firefighters and the Vankleek Hill Cubs will be helping out, but you can, too. Want to volunteer or donate? Call 613-678-2286. Monetary donations of $10 or more mean that donors will receive a charitable donation receipt from the Community Assistance Fund Enterprise, which oversees the Vankleek Hill Food Bank.
Last year, about 80 Christmas Baskets were delivered before Christmas to residents in Vankleek Hill, St-Eugene, St-Bernardin and Dalkeith, which is the coverage area for the Vankleek Hill Food Bank, according to treasurer the Reverend Robert Martin.
Nicko’s Resto Bar in Vankleek Hill is once again hosting a Christmas tree which offer a chance for people to select a gift card and purchase a toy for a child. The Reverend Martin said that Nicko’s has been doing this for years and it fills a huge void and ensures that each child in families receiving Christmas Baskets will receive a toy at Christmas.
In addition the Hawkesbury Rotary Club is once again providing hams to the Vankleek Hill Food Bank, as well as to other food banks in the region. A ham is the perfect thing to offer single-person families, said the Reverend Martin, as a turkey is simply too much for smaller households.
Christmas Baskets will be delivered on Saturday, December 23. If you are in need of a Christmas Basket, or know someone who is in need, you can contact the Vankleek Hill Food Bank at 613-678-8119.