Backpack drive organizer Ashley Plewes managed to pull in enough to provide about 35 backpacks to Collingwood kids in need this year.
The Collingwood mom spoke with CollingwoodToday last month about her backpack drive, which ran throughout August at the Collingwood Dollar Tree and Walmart. All proceeds were given to the Collingwood Salvation Army last week to assist families in need.
“We have an amazing community. The people who donate are always very generous,” Plewes told CollingwoodToday this week.
Collingwood Fire, local musician Marcia Hubbs of Queen M, and Collingwood’s Santa Claus, Bill Nicholson, all pitched in to help with the August drives.
“(Bill) was loud, and it was great,” said Plewes with a laugh. “If it wasn’t for all of them this year, I probably wouldn’t have been as successful.”
Plewes said she had some difficulty co-ordinating the drive this year through the Collingwood Salvation Army and noted a decrease in the number of families requesting backpacks.
“We still managed to be successful,” she said.
This year, Plewes said the Salvation Army declined to accept monetary donations, so instead she used any money she received to purchase more needed items such as scientific calculators, backpacks, lunch bags and other school supplies.
Also new this year, the Collingwood charity declined donations of used backpacks, so Plewes donated any used backpacks she received to the Collingwood Mobile Soup Kitchen to aid in its outreach efforts.
“I had about 10 of them. They pack those bags with food, and hand out those bags to kids to take food home for their families,” said Plewes.
Next year, she plans to run the backpack drive on her own, and is on the hunt for community sponsors and organizations with which to partner. She is hoping to start next year’s drive prior to school ending so families will be more aware of the program. She also may add a school snack program into the mix as it’s another need she heard often while running the drives.
“I’ll run it by myself and get my own list of kids that are in need. I’d like to explore different avenues. There are lots of members of the community that could use this help,” said Plewes.
If you’re interested in partnering or offering assistance with next year’s drive, email [email protected] or call 705-441-6472.
