A cold Saturday in December has produced a record dollar figure raised for the Innisfail RCMP Charity Checkstop.
Staff Sergeant Ian Ihme notes that the 29th edition of the annual event brought in about $300 more than their previous highest total. He points out that this year’s total for monetary funds was over $17,000 ($17,412.65) in cash and cheques. Ihme says “honestly, just the giving spirit of people in central Alberta. You know, this has kind of become like the official kick off to Christmas – or one of the official kick offs to Christmas – for people in the Innisfail area and it is just an event that just keeps growing on itself. I think, possibly, people also felt bad for us because we were freezing ourselves out there that day so they felt they probably should donate a little bit more but, yeah, no it is just really people’s generosity.”
Ihme adds, 900 pounds of food donations plus three truck box loads of high quality toys and new clothing items were collected as well. This year’s Innisfail RCMP Charity Checktop was supporting the Innisfail Food Bank, the Innisfail Christmas Bureau, and the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre.
Ihme passes along these December reminders from the Innisfail RCMP. He says “well yeah, you know, Christmas parties are obviously a big thing that is going on right now. Our hope is just that people be safe, that they plan ahead, that they are not drinking and driving, and they are just making responsible choices so they can get home to their families this Christmas season.”
Listen to 96.5 The Ranch’s Community Hotline conversation with Ian Ihme.
