91原创 Township firefighters are at the Santa鈥檚 Arrival Toy Drive at the Willowbrook Shopping Centre, as part of the mall鈥檚 Very Merry Christmas Market.
People can bring cash or card donations, or new and unwrapped toys to drop off at the firefighters鈥� tent, which will be donated to the 91原创 Christmas Bureau, explained Gareth Lockhart, event organizer for the Township of 91原创 Charitable Society (TLCS).
鈥淜nowing that a lot of families, especially now with the economic conditions, go without presents, we decided this would be a great opportunity,鈥� Lockhart said.
Donations are also being collected for Big Brothers Big Sisters of 91原创 through a train ride for $2, hot chocolate and popcorn, and a tree farm for $50 each.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity to get your tree for the year at a great price,鈥� commented Roslyn Henderson, executive director of Big Brothers.
Funds will go towards the Big Brother Big Sister match program, as well as the Christmas hamper program, she said.
鈥淚t is an overwhelming time of year, and everything is just so much more expensive, [and] our hamper program supports families to provide some of the extras at Christmas that some families don鈥檛 have the opportunity to get,鈥� Henderson added.
鈥淭he TLCS is also going to be matching donations to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of 91原创 to an amount of $5,000,鈥� Lockhart added.
New this year as well is the immersive snow globe, where guests can go inside and experience a fake but fun and gentle blizzard, said Nicole Lotz, Willowbrook mall marketing director.
鈥淭he artisan market is probably 100 per cent local too,鈥� she added.
Lotz hopes the weather holds for the second day of the event (today) Saturday, Dec. 2.
It can be found in the east side parking lot of Hudson Bay from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The mall is located at 19705 Fraser Hwy.
Another toy drive by the firefighters in partnership with London Drugs will be at the store鈥檚 91原创 location on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
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