Rotorua MP Todd McClay with donations at the Rotorua Salvation Army. Photo / Mead Norton
Rotorua MP Todd McClay with donations at the Rotorua Salvation Army. Photo / Mead Norton
It took a couple of trips back and forth from the car, but eventually a Christmas tree at the local Salvation Army was surrounded by donations collected by Rotorua MP Todd McClay.
Each year, he collects donations for the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal from a monthly coffee morning forNational Party members and the public, a few small businesses like dairies and superettes, and when shopping at the supermarket himself.
The Christmas Appeal is six weeks long, run in conjunction with the Rotorua Weekender and The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM, and it calls for people to donate what money or food items they can afford to the foodbank for Christmas this year. The appeal finishes on December 23.
Todd said the foodbank was a very worthwhile cause to support, and that the appeal was a way for the Rotorua community to give back.
He said people had been very generous, and this was a way for him to do his bit.
“Christmas is a time for celebration, but also can be very costly and create pressure for families. I know this [appeal] will help so many people in our community to have a better holiday than they would otherwise.”
McClay will be in Parliament this week and is unable to join in the Fill the Bus action tomorrow, but he encourages those that have a couple of cans or items they could donate to head along to one of the public drop-off stops.
“If you’ve got a spare can - a little bit of spaghetti, even the asparagus you don’t like anymore in a can - bring it along.
“Christmas is a time of giving, and there are so many people in our community we can help.”
This is the eighth year of Fill the Bus, and it is a day full of action and generosity as schools, ECEs, businesses and public stops are visited by the team to pick up donations.
Fill the Bus public drop-off times.
The Hits Rotorua presenter Paul Hickey will be on the bus all day from 7am until 6pm, and will be doing his radio show live from 9am to 3pm, chatting to lots of locals who make donations.
Paul has previously said that over the past seven years, Fill the Bus has collected more than $85,000 worth of food for the cause, and the aim this year is to crack the $100,000 mark.
