LAKE COUNTY — With the holiday season just around the corner, area charity drives are getting under way. Totes4Teens founder Cheri Johnson said that duffle bags have arrived and the stuffing date has been set.
“This is the seventh year for Totes4Teens and donations for this season are coming in the form of items needed and cash donations,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the tote bags are 30-inch duffle bags on wheels. The boys” bags are black canvas and the girls” are blue Hawaiian print. “The sizes are big enough this year that they could easily contain a sleeping bag and pillow not to mention many of the other items donated by the Totes4Teens program,” she said. “Urgently needed still are beach towels, bed pillows, coats, scarves and gift that recipients can give to their birth or foster parents.”
Johnson said the stuffing date is set for Nov. 29. “It goes without saying that we go into a frantic purchasing spree the weekend after Thanksgiving to make sure that we have all the items from inventory list for each recipient,” she said.
Donation sites are established at the pro shops at Hidden Valley Lake, Buckingham and Rob Roy golf courses. TNT Storage, 3564 Big Valley Road in Kelseyville and Spruce Grove Storage, 11360 Spruce Grove Road in Lower Lake will also take donations. People can also e-mail totesforteens@mchsi.com to request a personal pick-up or drop-off site. “We have volunteers throughout most of the county willing to pick-up directly,” Johnson said.
Donations are tax deductible. Johnson requests that all donations include the donor”s name and contact information so that donation documentation can be sent.
