"Toys for the North 2014" is on schedule to make children happy in Matawa First Nations Communities

THUNDER BAY, ON, Dec. 15, 2014 /CNW/ - During this festive holiday season, the Thunder Bay RCMP Detachment has partnered with the Matawa First Nations to distribute toys to children in their nine Northern Ontario First Nations communities as part of the annual Toys for the North initiative.  

On Friday December 12^th 2014, a wrapping party was held at the Thunder Bay Gymnastics Association located at the Clayton Building on the CLE grounds, with hardworking elves from the Thunder Bay RCMP Detachment, the Thunder Bay Gymnastics Association and Matawa First Nations to make sure that Santa's sleigh will be filled to the top with gifts for his trip up north!

Santa and his reindeer want to send out a special thank you and Ho Ho Ho to Cargo North Airlines for assisting them with the logistics and transportation of some of the toys that couldn't quite fit on his sleigh.  Warm hugs of appreciation are also sent to Bearskin Airlines, Safeway, Tim Horton's, Boston Pizza and Papa Piccolino's Pizza for their contributions in making the toys journey a very happy one. 

Background Information

The "O" Division RCMP (Ontario) has participated in The Toys for the North initiative since 2010 as part of a national network of RCMP, the Department of National Defense, law enforcement, corporate and external partners who collectively contribute to the success of this charitable activity.  Toys are donated by members of the Canadian Toy Association, transported and warehoused by Thomson Terminals and sorted and distributed by the RCMP. In communities throughout the North, the RCMP arranges for wrapping parties and often is able to make a community event when delivering the toys.

The logistics involved in getting thousands of toys from a warehouse in Toronto to isolated communities is made considerably easier by the Canadian Forces who load the toys (and diapers) onto planes and trucks wherever there is available cargo space, and send them to staging points in Winnipeg, Goose Bay and northern Ontario. 

The RCMP members, families and community volunteer groups in the northern communities volunteer their time to wrap and label the toys and get them further on their way to communities which may only be accessible by float plane, ice highway or snowmobile. Wherever possible, RCMP and local leaders coordinate an event where families can gather for a festive day or evening celebration around the toy distribution to every child.

SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Media Contact: S/Sgt. Normand Roy, Detachment Commander, Thunder Bay RCMP, "O" Division (Ontario), 807-623-2791; Twitter: @RCMPONT; Facebook: RCMP.Ontario; YouTube: RCMPGRCPOLICE; Website: RCMP in Ontario