The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive is underway for another year with donations already coming in and registration for families looking to receive some help this holiday season set to open Thursday. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

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NANAIMO — A local Christmas tradition for over 40 years is returning to try and brighten the holiday season for some in community.

Organizers for the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive have begun accepting donations at a variety of locations throughout the city, with registration for families looking to receive items this Christmas opening Thursday, Nov. 20.

Toy Drive chair Janet Mirau told NanaimoNewsNOW they rely on Nanaimo Loaves and Fishes Food Bank to give them some idea on what demand will be like each holiday season.

“They’re continuing to see the demand grow for their services, so we would anticipate the same. Last year we had a really big bump, it was somewhere around 30 per cent. I’m hopeful that it isn’t that big, I hope it’s a smaller bump, but last year we helped over 800 families, representing more than 1,500 children.”

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday, a phone number and registration form will be on the Toy Drive’s website.

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Those registering will be asked to provide some basic information including who is in the family, ages and interests.

Mirau said once registered, they’ll then have the opportunity to book an appointment to shop at a makeshift department store, located again at the Nanaimo Ladysmith Schools Foundation property on Dufferin Cres.

“We will have the opportunity for the family to come in to select something that’s age appropriate and they can choose something that they know that their children will be interested in. They’ll also have the opportunity, we hope through the donations, to be able to select a toy, a book, stocking stuffers, a game for their family and hopefully a stuffed toy as well.”

Donation bins, some in the form of Santa’s sleigh, are setup throughout Nanaimo at shopping centres and businesses. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Mirau said it’s the second year the Toy Drive has operated out of the School District 68 facility, and knowin they had access to it again this year was a big relief.

Donations of new, unwrapped items can be dropped off at a long list of locations throughout Nanaimo, including bins at Country Club Centre, Woodgrove Centre and Nanaimo North Town Centre, along with all Save-on-Foods, Coastal Community Credit Union locations and firehalls in the city.

A number of individual business are also collecting donations, with a complete list available here.

Items will also be collected at a number of community events including the Nov. 29 Nanaimo Clippers Game, Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 Nanaimo Buccaneers home games, VIU Mariners basketball games on Nov. 28 and 29, as well as at the Nanaimo Christmas Village Nov. 28-30.

Mirau said they’re low on a number of items at their starting point.

“We like to provide the opportunity for families to take a family game, and we don’t have any. Stuffed toys is another area that we are low on, and always the teen age group is always one of our biggest challenges to find gifts that the teens are interested in.”

A list of gift ideas for each age group is also available on the Toy Drive’s website.

Cash donations can also be made towards the Toy Drive through Canada Helps.

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