Lorrie McCallum says she likes to give back every year at Christmastime, but this year she found a different way to collect donations.
McCallum said she became “hooked” on the toy claw machines that can be found outside of stores and movie theatres. She said over the last three months, she has won “seven or eight big garbage bags full of stuffed animals” that she will be donating to Surrey Women’s Centre in Whalley.
Along with her donations of stuffed animals, McCallum has been organizing a one-day fundraiser at Hook and Ladder Pub (8593 132nd St.) for Saturday, Dec. 15 from 4 p.m. onward.
McCallum said there will be 50/50 and meat draws, a silent auction and a coin toss. She is also asking people to bring stuffed animals for donations, but they need to be new with tags.
“I always do something at Christmas for the children, so I figured I’ve gotten hooked on this stuffed animal toy machine, and I just figured I’m going to give it to all the kids that need it at Christmas.”
McCallum said she’s won about 230 toys through the Hook and Ladder’s claw toy machine.
Surrey Women’s Centre is a crisis centre for women and girls escaping domestic violence, sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence, according to the centre’s website.
“They leave everything behind,” said McCallum, adding that she just wants to be able to give back.
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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