Cherrupreet Thindh/Special to Aldergrove Star

A one-day drive at the Aldergrove naval facilities this weekend is Paul Towns鈥� way of giving back.

As a liver transplant recipient who had to rely on the help of others a decade ago, Towns is now partnering with some friends to host a Stuff the Truck event on Saturday, Nov. 25.

The hope, Towns said, is to fill a large military transport truck with empty bottles and cans that will be turned in for cash to buy needed toys for Christmas bureaus in the region, as well as non-perishable food for area food banks.

In addition to collecting empties, the team will also accept new, unopened presents, as well as cash donations, and non-perishable food donations. All gifts, food, and monetary funds will be handed over to Christmas bureaus and food banks in 91原创, Abbotsford, and Mission, Towns said.

He and fellow commissionaires from the Canadian Forces naval radio communications facility in Aldergrove 鈥� at 3900 272nd St. 鈥� will be joined by army and sea cadets on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Their collaborative goal, Towns said, is to bring smiles to people鈥檚 faces and spread love to those in need this Christmas.

鈥淭he commissionaires and some friends of mine are organizing this Christmas drive event for the first time and reaching out to people鈥︹�� Towns said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a sense of deep satisfaction to serve the community.鈥�

He noted that ahead of Saturday鈥檚 Stuff the Truck event, the team has been fundraising internally and collecting bottles, giving the inaugural event a good head start, Towns said.

鈥淛ust through my social media page, I have received a lot of positive feedback. It is very motivating when people resonate with the idea, which in return impacts our efforts,鈥� he added.

鈥淚 had realized the power of gratitude when I had been through a hard time with my liver transplant in 2013, during which I had received gift cards, food, toys for my children. It was a great emotional support from Christmas bureaus,鈥� Towns elaborated, speaking to the origin of the idea for his fundraiser.

As for who to involve, Towns recounted how impressed he was a couple years back, when the naval radio station commissionaires raised funds for flood victims in Abbotsford. He said it was a no-brainer to ask them.

鈥淲e hope to make this an annual event and hope everything works out all right so that we can keep doing this every year,鈥� he said.

Those unable to attend, but wishing to contribute, can email aldergrovefundraiser@gmail.com.