New Westminster firefighters chipped hundreds of Christmas trees under soggy skies.
The New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society held its annual tree-chipping event on Jan. 3 and 4 in the Canada Games Pool parking lot.
“Saturday was a real great day – lots of people stuck around because of the weather. It was a wet cold,” said firefighter Glen Bailey. “Sunday was a downpour. We had very few people hanging around.”
Along with helping people dispose of their Christmas trees, the tree-chipping event gives community members a chance to enjoy a barbecued hot dog, listen to some live music and watch some tree-burning and extinguisher demonstrations. Firefighters accept donations for the charitable society, which funds a variety of projects in New Westminster.
While many of the folks who attended Saturday’s event stuck around to enjoy the offerings, most people dropped off their trees and grabbed a hotdog to go during Sunday’s downpour.
“All in all, weather considering, it was still a really good event,” said Bailey, a past president of the charitable society. “The guys organizing it did a really good job. We have to thank the citizens of New Westminster for supporting us, allowing us to use the facility and supporting the event.”
Firefighters chipped more than a bin of Christmas trees, which was later hauled away.
Local Scouts held a bottle drive at the same time as the tree chipping.
“They collected bins of bottles,” Bailey said. . “It’s a good fundraiser for them.”
G&F Financial supplied popcorn, Re/Max Advantage Realty provided a tent and Save-on-Foods donated hotdogs and pop for the event. Leftovers were delivered to the Union Gospel Mission.
The New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society’s next fundraiser is the annual shred-athon, which will likely take place in June. A New Westminster firefighter is also organizing a fundraiser in support of the society that’s taking place at the Columbia Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 24.
