The Blanket BC Society is looking for volunteers for one of North America’s biggest annual blanket drives, set to take place at Canada Line stations in Richmond and Vancouver next month.
Greg Ould, Richmond resident and co-founder of Blanket BC Society, is looking for a minimum of 200 volunteers to help out at the 13th annual “Drive on the Line” event on Nov. 17 and 18.
Volunteers, also known as “blanketeers,” will help accept monetary and blanket donations as well as provide information about Blanket BC at nine Canada Line stations.
The station volunteers will be at Brighouse, Lansdowne, Bridgeport, Marine Drive, Oakridge/41st, Broadway City Hall, Yaletown-Roundhouse, Vancouver City Centre and Waterfront stations.
Last year, the drive collected 2,300 blankets to help the less fortunate and single-parent families with kids get through the cold winter.
“We need all the help we can get this year,” said Ould. Last year was “rough.” he added, due to a serious lack of volunteers.
Several Douglas College students are helping prior to the event, Ould said, but he’d like to see more city councillors, mayors and politicians in Metro Vancouver participate.
“I’d like them to come out as volunteers and not just for a photo op. I want people to participate and provide their time because that shows they truly care and not just to make themselves look good,” he said.
“We challenge our local leaders to really put forth the effort in this endeavour.”
Volunteers are more than just extra hands, they are the ones who keep the less fortunate safe and help save lives during the winter, explained Ould.
“It’s definitely life-saving and is one of those events that can help someone who’s on the street trying to stay warm and they just want to survive this one night, long enough to get to the next day.
“It’s not just a small-penny, insignificant event.”
For more information and to volunteer, visit https://www.blanketbc.org/volunteer
