Richard Froese
South Peace News
Many local children will receive toys thanks to the generosity of shoppers at Red Apple stores in High Prairie, Falher and Peace River in the annual toy drive that ended Dec. 7.
Fill-a-Sleigh Day concluded the three-week Together We Care Toy Drive at Red Apple and The Bargain Shop locations across Canada.
High Prairie raised a total of $6,582 in toys from Nov. 16 to Dec. 7, store manager Kelsie Turcotte says.
Funds and toys were donated to the High Prairie and District Children’s Resource Council for Christmas hampers.
Marigold Enterprise, Super A Foods, Revolution Ford, Revolution Chevrolet and the High Prairie Red Wings hockey team partnered in the Fill-a-Sleigh Day.
“They helped us reach and exceed our goal of $5,500,” Turcotte says.
Red Apple in Peace River raised $3,942.56 in toys in the full program, store manager Maria Garcia says.
Toys were donated to the Salvation Army in Peace River.
Falher Red Apple raised $2,259.07 in toys during the full program, store manager Michelle Dovell says.
Red Apple donated an additional $52.10, which is 10 per cent of toy sales on Dec. 7.
Toys and funding were donated to Smoky River Family and Community Support Services.
Smoky River Fire Department, FCSS and the New Horizon Co-op were partners in the one-day drive.
“This marks our third-year hosting Fill-A-Sleigh Day across Canada and we are so thankful for the generous donations our customers have made this year,” says Clinton Wolff, president of Red Apple Stores Inc.
Red Apple Inc. thanks everyone who supported the event.
Dozens of toys were donated at Red Apple in Falher in the Fill-a-Sleigh Day on Dec. 7. 
Red Apple in High Prairie concluded a toy drive at the Fill-a-Sleigh Day on Dec. 7 with several partnering groups. Standing in the front row, left-right, are High Prairie Red Wing players Harrison Potts and Jeremiah Clarke, store manager Kelsie Turcotte, employees Becca Amiot, Denae Cunningham and Robbie Telenko, and Mazin Sharkawi of Revolution Chevrolet GM. Standing in the back row, left-right, are Red Wing hockey players Thayne Schur-Auger and Gabriel Blais, employee Roger Cardinal, Red Apple mascot, employees Cole Maier and Joanne Corbiere, High Prairie RCMP S/Sgt Warren Wright and Red Wing players Jonas Smith and Mathieu Charbonneau.