Northwestel will be collecting toys in partnership with the Yellowknife Salvation Army in select retail locations to support local charitable organizations this Christmas season.
The program “Bring a Toy. Share the Joy” was launched on November 13 and will run until December 11 in the City of Yellowknife.
Paul Gillard, is the Vice President, of business markets with Northwestel.
“I love kicking off the toy drive,” Vice President Gillard said. “This is the start of the holiday season and every year the toy drive is well supported by our staff and the community”
Vice President Gillard says that Northwestel has been running the toy drive for 14 years in the City of Yellowknife. All toys collected in our Yellowknife Retail Centre will be collected by the local Salvation Army – benefitting hundreds of local children during the holidays.
“We generally donate between 400 and 500 toys a year and that’s significant,” Vice President Gillard said. “The generosity of Yellowknife tends to come out in many different ways, but I always see it in the toy drive. And I really encourage our staff and the community to come by and participate again this year.”
Anybody can participate Vice President Gillard says and the toy bin will be at Northwestel until December 11.
Deputy Mayor of Yellowknife, Shauna Morgan, was in attendance for the announcement and thanked everybody who will participate in the toy drive on behalf of the city council.
“Special thanks to those with Northwestel and the Salvation Army,” Deputy Mayor Morgan said. “We’re thrilled to be part of it again this year. I know that in this town, you know we have such a large gap between the wealthiest and those who have the lowest income. So it’s just so important that we’re attentive to that and look after our neighbors.”
Deputy Mayor Morgan says the toy drive is a lot of fun for a lot of people and gets the community working together.
“I do a lot of work with children around play-based learning, I do see firsthand every day how important play is to kids development, their intellectual development and emotional development,” Deputy Mayor Morgan said. “I think it’s so important that we help support that. I want to thank everybody here for doing your part today.”
Cadet Jason Brinson from the Yellowknife Salvation Army says the community of Yellowknife is very generous and this toy drive is just a fantastic way for less fortunate children to receive a toy for Christmas.
“I would like to say thank you to Northwestel,” Cadet Brinson said. “We’re thankful that you entrust us with helping with this toy drive and these toys will come to us and we’ll get them to children who are in need.”
Cadet Brinson says that no children in Yellowknife should be without a toy during Christmas.
“It’s important. We all remember Christmas as children and how we felt when we were able to receive something,” Cadet Brinson said. “We’re so thankful for your partnership. Thank you to all the staff at Northwestel who contribute to this and you know, it’s just a great time to get together and celebrate.”
The toy drive runs till December 11 and the toy bin will be at Northwestel if you would like to donate a toy to a child in need this Christmas.
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