By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter
The LaSalle Firefighters Associations have launched the ‘LaSalle Gives Back’ fundraiser campaign to ensure donations collected in LaSalle remain in the LaSalle community.
Firefighters and community volunteers hit the streets earlier this month to distribute newspapers and accept monetary donations.
In previous years, the LaSalle Firefighters have participated in the Windsor Goodfellows Holiday Christmas Food Boxes campaign, collecting donations throughout the Town of LaSalle. While a portion of these donations remained in LaSalle, the majority were directed to Windsor.
“This is the first annual ‘LaSalle Gives Back’ initiative,” said Chris Carr, a LaSalle firefighter who helped organize the fund raiser. Our goal is to provide continuous support to LaSalle residents who rely on assistance programs, not just during the holidays, but throughout the year. By keeping donations local, we aim to strengthen our community and support those in need.”
Carr says the overall campaign was a success and has exceeded expectations. And that supporting the local community is top of mind with the fire service. There were 10,000 copies of the paper printed with an additional 2,000 because they ran out.
“We decided because there has been an increased need at the LaSalle Food Bank, to take on our own initiative an keep it specific to LaSalle,” he explained. “We’re hoping that this will assist the Food Bank all year and not just during the holiday season.”
This annual initiative will benefit local non-profits and youth assistance organizations, ensuring that funds raised are directed to those in LaSalle who depend on these vital services year-round. This year’s donations will support the St. Andrews Anglican Church – Community Food Bank and LaSalle Hangout for Youth.
“We’re already planning for next year. Being our first year we will look back and see how we can improve and make the event more efficient,” Carr added. “We’ve received a lot of positive feedback and we’re definitely looking to grow this initiative.
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