For drivers at Musket, the winter season can mean difficult driving conditions due to bad weather and a need for additional safety precautions on the road. But we welcome the cold winter months despite the challenge because they accompany the holidays, a time of year when friends and family come together to celebrate.
As the Musket team prepared to usher in the holiday season this year, we recognized the importance of thinking about those in our community who struggle to provide basic necessities for their families. For these members of our community, the added expenses around the holiday season can be incredibly stressful. Purchasing gifts for their families can feel overwhelming if not entirely impossible.
This year, Musket organized its second annual drive to collect toys and funds to purchase toys to boost the holiday spirit of members of our community in need of some support and assistance. Spearheaded for the first time last year by Product and Project Manager Sophia Śniegowska and VP of Technology Adrian Balij, the drive benefits a community initiative called Toys for Tots organized by the Peel police department with the Salvation Army and the Canadian Tire Corporation. The Toys for Tots initiative is dedicated to ensuring that no child goes without gifts during the holiday season. Participants collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
Musket arranged toy drop off stations at each of its three facilities, and we are happy to report that once again the drive was a success. Employees donated toys to boost holiday cheer for local families in the community in need. Canadian Tire money and cash donations were also welcomed.
Taking Our Toys for Tots Commitment to the Next Level: Sponsorship
In addition to our annual collection of new unwrapped toys, Canadian Tire money and cash donations, Musket has become a formal partner with Toys for Tots by stepping up as contributing sponsors, greatly increasing the value of contribution compared to last year. Thankfully, Toys for Tots collects many toy donations and requires storage space to hold the toys until they can be distributed to local families in need. This year, the organization’s storage option unfortunately fell through. Musket driver Dean Renpenning brought this information to Musket’s attention. Musket stepped up to the plate in a sponsorship capacity to help fulfill this need by donating our services and providing the badly needed storage space.
We coordinated this partnership between Constable Patten from the Peel Regional Police and Joel Binner on behalf of the Salvation Army.
Toys 4 Tots generates 150 skids worth of collected toys which occupy seven shipping containers. Thanks to the generous volunteer efforts of two of our drivers – James Kettles and Dean Renpenning – Musket was able to transport seven shipping containers to the Salvation Army Mississauga Temple in just one business day. Until January 14th, the containers will remain at the Salvation Army where volunteers will group and wrap all of the collected toys so that they are protected and ready for distribution.
On January 14th, the containers will be moved back to our Southdown Terminal for storage until the beginning of next year’s Toys 4 Tots campaign. Musket is proud and privileged to have the opportunity to participate in initiatives like the Toys for Tots campaign that support our local community.
To all our employees, clients, friends and family – Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! Stay warm and enjoy this special time with your loved ones.