The Lethbridge Police Service is holding its annual Charity Checkstop this weekend.
From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., LPS officers and staff will be on-site in the parking lot at Park Place Mall collecting donations toward the Christmas Hope campaign.
Christmas Hope is a collaborative project between the Interfaith Food Bank, the Lethbridge Food Bank, Lethbridge Family Services’ Angel Tree, MyCityCare’s Shop of Wonders, The Salvation Army’s Toys for Tots, and new this year, the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization’s Golden Giving Tree.
READ MORE: LSCO joins Christmas Hope campaign
As part of the sixth annual LPS Charity Checkstop, you can drop off items like non-perishables and new, unwrapped toys. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
Constable Dana Holland with the LPS Community Engagement Unit notes that the local department is honoured to be a part of this initiative, alongside its partners.
“Supporting our community is at the heart of what we do,” she says.
“It’s truly one of the most important things for us to be able to support people here. Our members are proud to stand behind this initiative and help ensure that families and individuals who are struggling have the support they need.”
Holland adds that if the weather cooperates, the Lethbridge Pipe Band will be on site to perform, and members of the LPS Tactical Team will be at the event, so attendees can check out their armored rescue vehicle.
Last year’s event was a major success, setting a collection record.
READ MORE: LPS collects record-breaking unwrapped gifts during annual Charity Checkstop
Lindsay Prete, the Angel Tree coordinator at Lethbridge Family Services, adds that like the LPS, supporting the community is at the heart of what LFS does.
“We are committed to doing our part to make this season brighter for everyone,” she says.
Prete notes the day is always filled with “so much joy”.
“The Interfaith and Lethbridge Food Bank will be collecting food for the community, and the rest of our partners will be collecting the toys and the senior gifts, and at the end of the day, they will all come back to Lethbridge Family Services, where we sort them, and everyone gets an equal share of all the proceeds that come into us, whether it’s cash donations or toys,” she explains.
“Then on Sunday morning, they all get to come and pick up their goodies and distribute them to their organizations and to the families who really need them this season. It means a lot to be able to partner with all these people.”
As for food donations, Interfaith Food Bank’s executive director Danielle McIntyre says they are looking for traditional non-perishables normally included in their hampers.
“We always like to encourage the more nutritional value items, like pasta, pasta sauce, cereal [and] peanut butter, but we’re also looking for those special Christmas items as well, and financial gifts go a long way for all of our agencies in being able to purchase exactly what we need when we need it,” she states.
McIntyre adds that grocery gift cards are another option for donations.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Zach Marshall with the Salvation Army says the Charity Checkstop comes at a perfect time “as all our agencies are well underway in preparing the things that we do, whether it’s food hampers or toys, or this year, the gifts for the seniors”.
“It really is important to see our community come together, [and] our civic partners, such as [the] LPS and the City of Lethbridge coming together to support our partners like this. It’s a big boost for us and it’s an event that we look forward to every year,” Marshall adds.
The LPS Charity Checkstop is Saturday, December 6 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the west parking lot of the Park Place Mall.
