Nanaimo SAR members during last year's Christmas tree chipping fundraiser. (Submitted photo)

By Ian Holmes

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‘We really felt it was important to give back:’ Nanaimo SAR to donate tree-chipping proceeds

Jan 7, 2023 | 10:20 AM

NANAIMO — A valued non-profit organization responding to people in distress at a moment’s notice is coming through yet again, but in a different way.

Nanaimo Search and Rescue is donating all of its proceeds from its annual Christmas tree-chipping service this weekend to Nanaimo Foodshare Society. Members will be in the Country Club Centre parking lot near Dairy Queen on Saturday, Jan. 7 and Sunday Jan. 8 between 9 a.m and 4 p.m. disposing of trees by donation.

Carly Trobridge, president of Nanaimo SAR, said their members were polled last month regarding which local non-profit they’d like their annual fundraiser to prop up.

“This year Nanaimo SAR finds ourselves in a financial position as such where we can give back to the community in different ways other than our typical search and rescue services.”

Trobridge said their Christmas tree chipping fundraiser typically generates around $6,000, which they badly needed previously to help establish a new home base for their operations.

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The rising cost of living, including escalating food prices, is a concern for Nanaimo SAR members, who wanted to make a difference this year.

“We know that families in Nanaimo are feeling a crunch, so we really felt it was important to give back and it was something that really resonated with our members,” Trobridge told NanaimoNewsNOW.

People hoping to get rid of their Christmas tree can take advantage of a convenient on-site debit machine or provide a cash donation.

It was a surprisingly slower year call-out wise in 2022 for Nanaimo SAR, Trobridge reported.

She said it’s difficult to pinpoint why call volumes slipped to 43 last year, following settling into a busy annual pattern of about 60 calls.

“Certainly it could be a matter of gas prices and fewer people coming into our backcountry, or our outreach efforts paying off, which is what we’re hopeful for.”

Trobridge said Nanaimo SAR intends to enhance its fleet by purchasing a new all-terrain vehicle and truck this year.

Nanaimo SAR has served the community for 31 years.

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