The Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington want those Christmas trees in the new year as part of its annual Trees for Tots campaign.
For the past eight years, volunteers have been collecting old Christmas trees in January for a small fee that is then donated to programs that help children in the community.
Over 3,500 trees were collected during the last campaign and $68,419 was raised.
The service started in Guelph after the city stopped offering curbside pickup service for trees and has now expanded into Puslinch Township and the Village of Rockwood.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the collection is still going ahead on Jan. 9.
“We are so excited to be able to continue to offer this service in a safe and contactless way,” said Emma Rogers, CEO of the Foundation. “This event is helpful for so many residents of Guelph and surrounding areas, and is a great way to support the community.”
Residents can register to have their tree collected until Jan. 6 for a minimum donation of $10.
The foundation noted that the City of Guelph charges $10 at its waste centre for residents who choose to discard their tree there.
Through the campaign, $10 will also include curbside pickup and all proceeds go back into the community.
“It’s really a win for everyone involved!” says Brenda Walsh, outreach manager for the Children’s Foundation.
“After these trees have served their purpose for families this holiday season, they will help raise funds to support local children.”
Trees will be put through a wood chipper and then donated to local organizations for environmental projects. Some other trees are left whole and donated to groups for creek restoration.
More information can be found on Trees for Tots’ website.
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