From left, Saugeen Shores firefighters Captain Rob Atkinson, James Wheeler, Robert Blue, Mike Coffell, and Paul MacKinnon stand outside Rowland's Independent Grocers in Port Elgin with shopping carts full of groceries given by generous shoppers. The donations are destined for the Salvation Army Food Bank.

Hub Staff

Saugeen Shores firefighters from Station #50 in Southampton and Station #60 in Port Elgin were out at local grocery stores on Saturday, November 25 for their annual Community Food Drive where they collect groceries and cash donations for the local Salvaion Army Food Bank.

Fire trucks were parked at Walmart at the south end of Port Elgin, Rowland's Independent Grocer at the north end, and at Foodland in Southampton as members of the Saugeen Shores Fire Department greeted generous shoppers as they handed over items that will go to help local families.

Saugeen Shores Fire Prevention Officer and Captain Rob Atkinson, who was on hand at Rowland's Independent, said that all three locations had done very well. “There's been a lot of cash donations,” he said.

One of the largest donations of the day was from Dale’s Carpentry in Port Elgin. Owner, Terry Chappell, who is also a member of the Saugeen Shores Fire Department, handed his colleagues a cheque for $1,000 to go to the Salvation Army Family Services & Food Bank.

It will take a few days to weigh the groceries and count the donations but last year the Saugeen Shores firefighters collected over 1,850 pounds of groceries and almost $1,500 in cash.

Left to right, back, Saugeen Shores firefighters Gary Smith, Scott McMeekin, and Keith Steingart, stand with brothers (front) Liam, age 8, Kieran, age 12, and Connor McCormack age 10 who were donating at Walmart in Port Elgin November 25.

Saugeen Shores firefighters Terry Chappell (left) and Paul Shular with bags of groceries collected outside Southampton Foodland, as well as a $1,000 cheque which Chappell donated on behalf of Dale’s Carpentry.