The annual toy drive organized by Northwestel and the Yellowknife Salvation Army is accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys until December 10.
Donations can be dropped off at the Northwestel retail store in Yellowknife and Whitehorse.
At the toy drive’s kick-off on Friday, Yellowknife Mayor Melissa Syer said she had supported the project when she worked at the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.
“I’m a huge fan of this endeavour,” Syer said.
“I think Christmas time is a magical time for a lot of families, but also there are a lot of families who aren’t able to afford to give their children presents or the magic of having something under the tree.
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“This initiative makes it so that other children, who aren’t in that position, are able to benefit and enjoy the magic that is Christmas.”
Parents who need extra help at Christmas have the opportunity to walk through the donated toys and select items they think their children would want the most.
Tony Brushett, the executive director of the Yellowknife Salvation Army, expects in the region of 300 kids to need toys this year.
Brushett said when he was a child, his family received toy and food hampers from the Salvation Army, “something that stuck with me all my life.”
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“When I had the opportunity to get on this side of it, I couldn’t turn it down,” he said.
Brushett said the goal is to collect 400 toys, adding 398 donations came in last year. Other donor sources will help get the initiative to 600 toys.
Donated toys will be distributed in the week of December 15.
