PERTH-WELLINGTON – As Nick Cadotte says, if everyone chips in just a little bit, it can make a massive difference in countless lives.
That has been the storyline through the first two years of The Ranch 100.1FM’s Food and Toy Corral. Since its inception in 2020, the annual holiday fundraiser has brought in approximately $80,000 in food, toys and cash for area food banks and charitable organizations. And Cadotte, the Listowel-based radio station’s general manager, is hoping for another big total the third time around.
“It’s amazing, everything has been awesome and the community just keeps on rallying behind it,” said Cadotte of the Food and Toy Corral. “Sadly, in the three years the need has increased each year; this year the need is bigger with the cost of just living. We all know that it impacts us at the grocery store, but there’s people – the working poor – that really need it.
“It’s not a handout, it’s a hand up hopefully.”
This year’s fundraiser will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 7, with donations also accepted throughout the week at 185 Wallace Ave. N. in Listowel, in conjunction with the Listowel Banner. The Ranch will once again be broadcasting live from its rear patio for 24 hours, beginning at 6 a.m. that day.
North Perth farmer and business owner Stewart Skinner helped get the ball rolling with a donation of 50 pounds of ground beef to the cause, while Ranch advertising packages have already generated around $2,000 worth of food ahead of the event’s kick off next week.
Organizers are encouraging businesses, organizations and school classrooms to combine their efforts for donations, with every group taking part entered into a draw to win a free pizza lunch following the fundraiser.
“We just think things work better when you work collaboratively,” said Cadotte. “So if you’ve got 30 kids in a classroom, each of them brings one item, that’s 30 items. Same thing if you’ve got 100 employees, 100 of them bring in something – it’s 100 items.
“The community is great and it takes a huge community to stock all the food banks, so if we can all do one little piece… it works out to be a massive amount.”
The Ranch Food and Toy Corral is accepting all non-perishable food items, new children’s toys and personal hygiene products. As Cadotte clarified, anything that you would eat or wish to eat for any meal, chances are it’s on others’ lists as well. Monetary donations are also gratefully accepted, which will allow organizations to purchase items to stock their shelves this coming holiday season.
Anyone seeking more information about The Ranch 100.1FM’s third annual Food and Toy Corral can reach out to Cadotte at 519-365-8027 or by email at nick.cadotte@theranch100.com.
