Christmas Tree Drive [1] from QNet News [2] on Vimeo [3].
By Rachel Bell [4]
BELLEVILLE – The annual Christmas Tree Drive is making sure Belleville residents have a bright holiday season.
The drive gives trees and Christmas decorations to families who would otherwise not be able to afford the full Christmas experience.
Cheryl Godbout, a local resident who donated to the program this year, says she wants to give back to the community because she knows what it’s like to struggle.
“At one time in my life I was in a similar position. I didn’t have much of anything,” she said.
Godbout came across the donation office, located at Suite 121 Century Village [5], 199 Front St. [6], by chance, and it caught her attention.
“I had taken a friend down to get her health card renewed, and I walked past and saw the door. I looked in and saw a bunch of stuff in there so I went in and asked what they were all about.”
Brenda Snider, executive director of the program, said the Christmas Tree Drive has grown over time. It has been running annually for more then 15 years, and each year is more successful.
“Over the years since 2016 we have developed it into a full-blown Christmas drive, and the number of families that come in and request the trees increases every year, and so do the donations. We accept gently used Christmas trees,” she said.
The organization says that something as simple as a Christmas tree and decorations can make all the difference during the holidays.
“We have some of our seniors and single people – they don’t have a big apartment, but they want to have some joy in their home. When you look at that Christmas tree, it brings a whole new light to the season,” said Snider.
The volunteers work hard to gain as much attention as possible from the community, as 31 people have registered to get a tree this holiday and the program is still in need of more trees.
Julie Hutt, volunteer co-ordinator, organizes the appeal to local businesses and individuals to donate.
“We reach out to organizations, we walk around to businesses downtown [7], we reach out to all major retail stores, and of course we use social media – we post on Facebook. And I’ve been looking through the online yard sales watching for people putting up Christmas trees,” she said.
Snider said the organization is a great little community, working hard together to make sure everyone has a tree this Christmas.
“We have two trees this year that we had given out in past years. The family has now been able to purchase a brand new tree, and they’re donating those trees back to pay it forward to another family who needs that little bit of help around this time of the year,” she said.
You know your program is successful when you start to have people who have used it in the past donate back, Snider said
The drive serves residents all across Hastings and Prince Edward counties.