It’s that time of year for Parksville Qualicum Beach area fire departments to go door-to-door to collect food and toys.
The annual food and toy drive will take place Nov. 16-17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The week prior to the food drive, through the local newspapers, Quality Foods will provide paper bags for groceries. If residents are not able to be at home, they can leave the bag in a carport or by their door and it will be picked up by firefighters.
During the collection weekend, it may not be possible for volunteers to get to every household. In that case, please bring any non-perishable food items and/or new, unwrapped toys to the various halls.
Cash donations are also welcomed.
The Parksville department is also looking for apartment building ambassadors, residents willing to co-ordinate donations of food and toys for their building.
The 2018 drive was a huge success with more than 26,000 pounds of food and $27,000 in cash donations for the Salvation Army. The single-largest donation in 2018 was made by the Craig Bay Residents Association which contributed 2,600 pounds of food and $15,000 in cash donations.
Each year, residents generously support the department’s annual food and toy drive and are the reason for its success. This drive and the generosity of residents make the world of difference to many families this holiday season.
The eight departments in District 69 are Bow Horn Bay Fire Department, Coombs Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department, Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department, Deep Bay Fire and Rescue, Errington Volunteer Fire Department, Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department. Parksville Volunteer Fire Department and Qualicum Beach Fire Department.
Local residents have always been generous with their contributions and District 69 fire departments look forward to another successful year.
The first food drive was held in 1997 in Qualicum Beach and then joined by Parksville in 1998 and 2016 was the first year of participation for the Errington and Coombs-Hilliers departments, 2017 was the first year for Bow Horn Bay Fire Department and 2018 for the Deep Bay Fire Department.
This year, Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department joined in the food and toy drive.
The week prior to the food drive, through the local newspapers, Quality Foods will provide paper bags for groceries.
Bow Horn Bay Fire Department
The Bow Horn Bay Fire Hall will be open to receive donations on Saturday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The department will welcome residents for hot chocolate or coffee and the department will be offering tours of the fire hall and their trucks. As well, you can pick up a free nine-volt battery for your smoke detector.
Contact is Fire Chief Geoff MacIntosh www.bowhornbayvfd.ca
250-757-9433; bhbfire@shaw.ca
Bow Horn Bay Fire Department is located 220 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay
Coombs Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department
The Coombs-Hilliers Fire Hall #2 will be open for drop off of donations and hot chocolate on Nov. 16 and Nov. 17 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. On Saturday, Nov. 16 between 10 am and 2 p.m., a fire engine will pickup along Melrose Road, the Rinvold Road area, Brittain Boulevard subdivision and Bowlby Road area. On Sunday, Nov. 17, thee department will be picking up in the Virginia Estates area between 10 am and 2 p.m.
Contact is Lieutenant Theresa Benoit; coombsdata@shaw.ca; 250-752-2144
Coombs Hilliers Fire Hall #2 is located at 3241 Alberni Highway
Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department
Both Dashwood fire stations will be open on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for drop off and donations will also be taken the week of Nov. 18. Dashwood crews will tour more populated areas of the district and residents should leave their donation on front deck or driveway, weather permitting.
Areas crews will cover are Surfside/Flamingo, Center Road/Ganske/Cortez/Evanson/Texada, King/Cheddar/Edwin/Rogers, Baylis/Corcan/Doorman/Oakdowne, Boorman/Warder/Rembar, Koskimo/Wildflower/Settler, Meadowood Way/Galvin Place/Ashling, Little Qualicum River Village.
Contact is Fire Chief Nick Acciavatti www.dashwoodvfd.com
250-752-5434; firechief@dashwoodvfd.com
Dashwood station is located at 230 Hobbs Rd. and the Meadowood Fire Hall at 1800 Galvin Pl.
Deep Bay Fire Department
On Saturday, Nov. 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Deep Bay Fire Department will go door-to-door throughout the Deep Bay fire protection area which includes Deep Bay and parts of Highway 19A, collecting non-perishable food donations from residents. The fire hall will also be open during this time should residents wish to drop off donations.
Contact is Chief George Lenz http://dbid.ca/Deep-Bay-Fire-Department.php
250-757-2030; deepbayfire@dbid.ca
Deep Bay Fire Department is located at 5031 Mountainview Road, Deep Bay
Errington Fire Department
The Errington Fire Station # 1 will be open for food and toys drop off on Saturday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cash donations will also be accepted. Station tours will be offered along with hot chocolate. On Saturday, Nov. 16 between noon and 2 p.m., one of their fire engines will be parked at the Mid-Island Co-op on Church Road for drop off food, toys and donations.
Contact is Fire Chief Troy Bater www.evfd.ca
250-248-5601; chief@evfd.ca
Errington Fire Department #1 is located at 960 Errington Rd.
Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department
Food, toys and cash may be dropped off at the Nanoose Fire Hall on Nov. 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. There will be free hot chocolate at the fire hall along with tours of fire trucks. Nanoose fire engines will be at Springford Farm and Nanoose Place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Donations of food and toys will go to the Salvation Army and donations of cash to the Nanoose Community Cupboard to assist local Nanoose residents in need.
Contact is Fire Chief Doug Penny www.nanoosevfd.com
250-468-7141; nanoosevfd@shaw.ca
Nanoose Fire Hall is located at 2471 Nanoose Rd., Nanoose Bay
Parksville Volunteer Fire Department
Parksville firefighters will collect food and toys, door-to-door throughout Parksville and the areas served by the Parksville Fire Protection Area on Saturday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Members try to get to every household and if a home is missed, non-perishable food items and/or new, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at the fire hall during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Parksville Fire Protection Area includes San Pareil, Morningstar, Columbia Beach, French Creek, Fourneau Road and the Forever Green Estates as well as the City of Parksville.
Contact is Captain Mark Adelborg www.parksvillefirerescue.ca
250-248-3242; firedept@parksville.ca
Parksville Fire Hall is located at 160 Jensen Avenue West
Qualicum Beach Fire Department
Members of the Qualicum Beach Fire Department and Arrowsmith Search and Rescue will have trucks circulating through neighbourhoods on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., collecting donations of non-perishable foods.
Donations should be left at the end of the driveway or listen for sirens and Christmas carols being played over truck loud speakers and signal the firefighters as they go by. Items may also be dropped off at Qualicum Foods, at the BC Government Liquor Store on Primrose and at the Qualicum Beach fire hall.
Firefighters will try to get around to most neighbourhoods on Saturday but if missed, Qualicum residents may drop off donations on Sunday, Nov. 17 at the fire hall between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Contact is Fire Chief Marc Norris www.qualicumbeach.com
250-752-6232; mnorris@qualicumbeach.com
Qualicum Beach Fire Hall is located at 130 Rupert Road East.
For information and media contact:
Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications, City of Parksville, 250 954-3073; dtardiff@parksville.ca
— NEWS Staff, submitted