Duane Hicks
Local shoppers can get into the spirit of giving, and help ensure no child will have cold hands this winter, by donating to the “Mitts for Kids” campaign.
Organizer Melissa Gushulak said about two dozen cash collection boxes have been distributed to numerous local businesses in the downtown area, as well as in the east and west ends, and that shoppers should keep an eye out for them when they have their wallets out at the till.
(The decorated boxes are recognizable by a “Mitts for Kids” sticker on them).
As well, a mitt collection box will be at the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce office (located across from Safeway) this week, where residents are welcome to drop off new, store-bought mittens for children.
Gushulak said the collection boxes will be out until about Dec. 10, after which time she will use the money to buy children’s mittens from The Bargain Shop, which has agreed to give her a discount.
She will be given a list by the local Salvation Army as to how many families in need have children that could use mitts, and those children’s age and gender.
She’ll try to fill that list from youngest to oldest.
The donated mitts, and the ones bought by Gushulak, then will be given to the local Salvation Army to be included in their Christmas hampers.
Gushulak, who last organized the “Mitts for Kids” campaign in 2007 and decided to get it going again, is hopeful the community will be supportive of the cause.
She’s optimistic she’ll be able to help 50-100 children, but obviously would like to be able to buy as many mittens as are needed.
While Gushulak is running the drive by herself this year, she said it is a relatively simple way to do something good for local children, and felt compelled to come back and try it again.
Gushulak helmed the “Mitts for Kids” drive in 2005-07.
Prior to that, she had helped out Jan Hall-Bosma, who had started the initiative here back in 2000.
