Markland Wood - 41st Annual Christmas Caravan & Food Drive December 14, 2008

The Markland Wood - 41st Annual Christmas Caravan & Annual Food Drive.

Last year, we plowed through 26 cm. of snow. The packers in the transport truck were kept busy throughout the day organizing hundreds of bags and boxes of donations. When the days collecting was over and the truck unloaded, we were awestruck with the amount of food stacked neatly in piles. Through the generous donations of our community during the blizzard. Well done Markland!

The charities that benefit are:
The Salvation Army,
The Brothers of the Good Shepherd,
The Scott Mission,
The money is donated to The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund.

The Caravan usually consists of a Police sound vehicle, a bright red Fire Truck, a music (Christmas Carols) truck, a transport truck, to sort and pack the food, and dozens of cheery elves and, of course, Santa!

The parade starts at the Markland Wood Plaza at 9:00 a.m., where we greet new "Caravaners " and all the "old regulars ". We'll be visiting the north side of Bloor Street in the morning. We stop for a lunch break at the Bloordale United Church, where a hot lunch is served. Barbequed hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches and hot/cold drinks as well as some snacks are on the menu. After lunch, we'll continue on the south side of Bloor Street. Our elves will be winding up and down every street, stopping at each home to pick up your bags of groceries and bringing them to the curbside for loading on the truck. Please don't disappoint our little elves. The more you contribute, the happier they'll be! We'll return to the plaza, tired but excited, around 3:30 p.m. Finally, we'll unload the many boxes of already sorted food into my garage for the charities to pick up on Monday morning. This all sounds pretty exciting doesn't it??? Well it is!!! Just ask your neighbours. You can't imagine the joy we all feel when all is done.

We do this every year, because of the great need to help. What other group do you know that contributes like this and for as long as we have? Fourty one years is a long time and Marklanders do it proudly and cheerfully.

Students, please note, this is a community hours certified event.

Official Website: http://www.MarklandWood.org