They’re making Christmas merry

By Lawrence Powell

Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com



When Christmas morning comes, 180 children from Lawrencetown to the Kings County line will be ripping the wrapping paper off all kinds of gifts, thanks to the efforts of the Salvation Army and generous residents of the area.

Captain Heather Fudge, based in Bridgetown, has space set up at the Nova Scotia Community College in Middleton and a ton of toys have been donated. She and Cathy Shears having been processing applications and putting together packages of toys to suit particular youngsters.

The classroom is filled with toy cars and trucks, teddy bears, tea sets, and dolls of every size and description. One half is for boys and the other half of the room contains toys for girls.

Angels Anonymous has been a big source of toys. Christmas trees set up at the Salvation Army Thrift Shop and Home Hardware, both in Middleton, have seen patrons take a tag from the trees and replace them with toys. Similar trees were in place at the Dairy Queen stores in Greenwood and Digby.

Knitted items have also been donated by local women, and the Girl Guides in Middleton have also donated a bunch of mittens.

“The response so far has been really good,�? Fudge said of the donations.

But toys aren’t the only items the Salvation Army has been collecting. Food boxes will be put together for 128 families from Digby to the Kings County line. Those families include singles and couples without children.

While those numbers are down slightly from last year’s final totals, Fudge and Shears, who is the Salvation Army’s Christmas coordinator, are expecting more people will be applying even though the November 30 deadline is long past. But from now on, those applying will have to do so in person at the NSCC, Room 144.

“We will be getting more calls,�? Fudge said. “Last year we were accepting them right up to the day we were distributing them.�?

Most applicants are low income families or are on social assistance, Fudge said.

This year the parcels will be delivered on December 22 starting at 10 a.m.