Excelsior embarks on Stuff the Squad event

Excelsior+will+be+hosting+a+Stuff+the+Squad+event+over+the+next+several+weeks+to+provide+items+to+the+needy+around+Christmas.

Anna Greene

Excelsior will be hosting a Stuff the Squad event over the next several weeks to provide items to the needy around Christmas.

Sidney Patterson, Editor in Chief

As the holidays soon approach, groups of the Bellwood-Antis community are coming together in efforts to provide for families in need.

Excelsior Fire Company is no exception.

‘Stuff the Squad’ is a  series of events sponsored by the Bellwood-Antis fire company to help amass clothing items for families in need as the cold settles in. The goal is compile enough clothes to fill up a squad vehicle.

We really just want to help with fundraising to give more to the Council of Churches for those in need.

— Anna Greene

This is a new event for Excelsior, and the mind behind the miracle, B-A sophomore Anna Greene, got the idea from Logan Township’s ‘Stuff the Ambulance,’ a charity drive that focused mostly on providing toys for the needy on Christmas.

“I thought we could bring that idea to Bellwood and change what items we are collecting,” said Anna.

Excelsior is asking for donations of socks, hats, gloves, non-perishable food items, baby items, and toys (unwrapped).The donations will be distributed throughout the Bellwood Council of Churches to be further dispersed throughout the community.

“We really just want to help with fundraising to give more to the Council of Churches for those in need,” said Anna.

The operation could not have been successful without the help of Anna’s mother, or classmate Abbey Pearce, along with her mother.

“My mom helped by getting the project kick started and organized,” Anna explained.

You can find the squad vehicles December 3rd at the fire hall proceeding the Christmas parade, and December 10th and 17th at the Hometown market in Bellwood.