Charity Checkstop helps Christmas Hope campaign

By Lethbridge Herald on December 4, 2023.

Police and volunteers collect donations during the Lethbridge Police Service Charity Checkstop on Saturday at Park Place Mall. Herald Photo by Justin Seward

Justin Seward – LETHBRIDGE HERALD

Lethbridge Police Service officers, along with other community and food bank volunteers were collecting toy, food and money donations during LPS’s fourth annual Charity Checkstop at Park Place Mall on Saturday.

All donations are going into help the Christmas Hope campaign.

“We are a part of the community,”  said Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh.

“When the community wins, we all win as a whole. And this is our little part that we can play to actually bring the community together (and) to actually promote a better life for people who are more in need. And in this case, the community has been absolutely generous and to come to actually make sure  that over the Christmas Holidays every kid can have a toy and bellies are filled with food.”

Mehdizadeh said the turnout was great.

“We changed the location this year just to bring a little more different flavour to it by the mall,” he said.

“But it’s been great.”

Lillian Crowshoe was one of the toy donators to the cause.

“I’m very happy,” said Crowshoe.

“Everyone’s having a hard time this time of the year. And I talked to my grandchildren and I told them that we were going to donate to this cause because there are less fortunate children out there, and we’re fortunate enough that we’re going to be OK and we just wanted to give back.”

Volunteer Dale Dacey took donations on behalf of the Lethbridge Food Bank.

“I’m very proud to represent the Lethbridge Food Bank and I’m happy to help the less fortunate,” said Dacey.

Dacey said the number of food donations was excellent.

The food bank had a gaylord box – which are big boxes that fit on a pallet for carrying various types of products –  full and also a full bin as the event neared a close.

With increased costs, the anticipated goal was to collect 2,500 gifts for struggling families in the community.