Our annual Coins for Kids fundraising drive wraps up this week.
Volunteers are busy collecting donations and rolling coins for deposit. From there, the money will be donated to the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive and the Nanaimo Boys and Girls Club.
The annual fundraiser began in 1996 by collecting pennies. When the federal government decided to phase out the penny a few years ago, the name changed to Coins for Kids to ensure the campaign continued.
The premise is simple: make sure no child goes empty handed on Christmas morning. The toy drive and the boys and girls club are two charities in Nanaimo that help make that happen.
Since 1996, the fundraiser has raised more than $160,000 for children in need in Nanaimo.
Black Press papers from across the Island participate in Coins for Kids. Money raised stays within the community in which it was donated.
Participating in the fundraiser is easy: just collect your spare change and drop it off at one of our community drop-off locations or the News Bulletin’s office at 777 Poplar St.
The money doesn’t have to be rolled. Money often comes in all sorts of containers, from repurposed pickle jars to five-gallon water jugs.
Community drop-off locations include: In Print, West Coast Stamp and Coin, John’s Bedroom Barn, Royal LePage at Brooks Landing, Quality Foods, Northridge Fitness, Canadian Tire, La-Z-Boy, Island Natural Market, MGM Restaurant and Lucky’s Liquor Store.
For more information, please call 250-753-3707.