Skip to content

North Saanich tree chipping helps local family

The North Saanich Fire Department help a child with health issues with proceeds from its Jan. 5 tree chipping event.

North Saanich firefighters will be chipping those now-wilting Christmas trees this Saturday, helping a local family at the same time.

According to firefighter and organizer Brian Thomas, the department chose to help 11-year-old Cassidy Boland, who has Down Syndrome and was also recently diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

"There will be many expenses which are not covered, and there will be considerable loss of income for the Boland/Walker family while they care for their daughter as she endures a minimum of 28 months of treatment," wrote Thomas in an email to the News Review. "Please consider joining us to raise as much money as we can for both the Boland/Walker family and CFAX`s Santas Anonymous."

The North Saanich Volunteer Fire Department has been doing this program for years, helping the Santas Anonymous program and a local family with a portion of the proceeds form their annual tree chipping event.

This Saturday, Jan. 5, the department opens the doors at its Wain Road station at 10 a.m. and will collect trees until 2 p.m. They encourage anyone — even if you don't have a real tree — to drop by, see the ongoing station upgrade and expansion project and have a hot dog, coffee, hot chocolate and a fire truck ride.

Donations are, of course, warmly welcomed.

At their McTavish Road fire hall, firefighters will be collecting trees and bottles for the fundraiser at the same time as the Wain Road event.