NEWS RELEASE
CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION OF GUELPH
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The Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington’s annual Trees for Tots event has become a community favourite and a true show of the strength of people working together. Now in its sixth year, the annual Christmas tree pick-up is a donation-for-service event: Guelph residents register for a minimum $10 donation and on the first Saturday in January, 200 volunteers brave the brisk winter air to collect over 3,000 discarded Christmas trees.
Recently, at a planning meeting for the event, Brenda Walsh, administrative and outreach coordinator of the Children’s Foundation, addressed the Trees for Tots Volunteer Outreach Committee which helps spread awareness to increase registration: “It’s really win-win-win. Funds raised help the Children’s Foundation programs, trees get chipped and mulched and put back into the environment, and people get their trees picked-up!”
The simple model and good cause have attracted strong community support over the years. “It was a little overwhelming [the] first year, that’s true,” says Glenna Banda, Children’s Foundation executive director. “But a lot of great people came forward and offered to help and that’s why it’s been successful.”
The community support that makes the event possible has only grown and strengthened over the years. The Foundation is helped with mapping support from the City of Guelph Information Technology Department, logistical support from several community partners donating time, expertise and machinery, and the more than 200 volunteers who help take registrations, clean data, prepare administrative kits, and finally show-up on a Saturday morning in January to drive around the City and gather discarded Christmas trees. This year, the Foundation is hoping to register 3,500 residents to donate to the event.
The incredible impact of Trees of Tots is made possible by the City of Guelph and several supporting businesses including Battlefield Equipment, Baum Professional Tree Care, Cooper Equipment Rentals, Davey Tree, DOZR, Hersey Bins, Ignatius Jesuit Centre, Impact Mobile Signs, Jamie’s Lawncare, JL’s Tree Service, Premier Equipment Ltd., Sloot Construction Ltd., Universal Rental Services, the Wellington Catholic District School Board and Zoup! The support of these event partners allow all of the funds raised to go directly to the Children's Foundation’s programs, working to empower local children and youth living in poverty with the opportunities they need to build hope for lifelong change.
Trees for Tots also has a great environmental impact: all of the collected trees are used in local naturalization projects. This year the trees will be used at Ignatius Jesuit Centre, converted to mulch to line kilometres of hiking trails or used whole in fish re-habitation projects.
This year’s pick-up date is Saturday, Jan. 6 and registration is open to all Guelph residents for a minimum $10 donation. Registration is open until Friday, Dec 29 by visiting treesfortots.ca or by calling 519-826-9551 ext. 25. Volunteers interested in helping can also visit treesfortots.ca to sign-up for the event. Any businesses wishing to help increase the impact of the event are asked to please contact Kasia by emailing [email protected] or calling 519-826-9551 ext. 27.
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