The Burns Lake Airsoft Association (BLAA) is running their first annual Christmas toy drive in partnership with the Tweedsmuir Hotel.
Lakes District News spoke to to BLAA Secretary Curtis Lobermayer, who said the event was inspired by previous community based fundraisers run by the association.
“We had a very successful food drive earlier this fall, which was organized by one of our board members Devvon Barnhart,” said Lobermayer. “We wanted to do something similar for the holidays, but put a different twist on it.”
As part of the program, donation bins have been set up at ACI Computer Services, Woods n’ Water Sports & Recreation, Downtown Central, IDA, Pharmasave, Uptown Automotive and LDFC Printing and Stationary. Toys can be dropped off at any one of those locations until Dec. 19.
At that point, the toys will be collected and brought to the Tweedsmuir Hotel to be wrapped, a job that will be done by volunteers from the BLAA. “The airsofters will be doing the wrapping, so the gifts may not look exactly like they came from Santa’s workshop, but we’re going to do our very best,” Lobermayer joked.
In terms of a donation goal, Lobermayer says they don’t have any expectations, mainly because this is the first time the event is being run so there isn’t a baseline to go off of. “We just hope that people are generous with donations, and we can positively impact as many lives as possible this holiday season,” he said.
The gifts will be distributed for pickup by Dec. 22. In certain cases where registered people don’t have access to a vehicle, the gifts will be personally dropped off.
If you would like to register to receive a gift for your child, call the Tweedsmuir Hotel at 250-692-7771.