<\/p>\n
For the past 30 years, the Huntsville\/Lake of Bays Fire Department and the Salvation Army have been coming together to collect food donations for those in need.<\/p>\n
“The Salvation Army approached former chief, Ross Payne, to see if he\u2019d be interested in partnering for a food drive. It was his idea to go door-to-door,” said Mike Vadlja, fire prevention officer, who has been helping with the food drive for 19 years. “We\u2019ve carried on the tradition for 30 years.”<\/p>\n
Over the past three decades Vadlja said the event hasn\u2019t really changed, other than the weather.<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ve been through everything\u2014snow storms, ice\u2014it all seems to come on that night,” he said, noting that one year there was about two feet of snow that had fallen from the start to end of the evening. “The food donations seem to increase every year. We want this year to be the best ever.”<\/p>\n
The amount of food donated on this one night helps sustain the Salvation Army Food Bank throughout the year.<\/p>\n
“Our goal is to collect 30 tonnes for the 30th anniversary,” said Vadlja. He said the average is usually around 27 to 28 tonnes.<\/p>\n
Firefighters from all stations in the Huntsville\/Lake of Bays area, along with volunteers from the Lions Club, Motorcyclists of Muskoka, and the Du Ya Wanna Trail Riders Snowmobile Club will be collecting donations from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 5.<\/p>\n
After volunteers have gone door-to-door, the donations are delivered to the Salvation Army that evening.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s like clock work,” said Vadlja, of the donations making their way from trucks to inside the Salvation Army via an assembly line of air cadets. “It\u2019s crazy how well organized it is.”<\/p>\n\n\t\t