A refugee donation drop-off centre's opened every Wednesday and Friday between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 at the Portage Mall. Portage and Area Refugee Coalition Committee member Mitchell Omichinksi says they've been busy.

Mitchell Omichinski"We're receiving donations right now; sorting them out, listing them, itemizing, and laying them out on our tables here. We just opened up a few minutes ago and we already got three or four major donations coming in. My phone is ringing as well at home. My number's on the door here, so I expect today and Friday to be quite busy for us."

He notes every donation's significant. "We think everything people donate is major. It's a humanitarian cause. We've been getting just about everything that you could think of that would fit two households. It's all the furnishings, the bedding, the sheets, and all that's being donated. The only things we're probably short on right now are clothes for men, boys, and women."

Kelly Cheesman and daughterKelly Cheesman made his first visit to the centre last week with his young daughter by his side, and says it was the very day he found out about the facility. "We have two little girls at home, and we went through all their old clothes today and rounded them all up. I read where they have the refugee donation set up here in the mall. We thought it was great timing. It just happened to be Wednesday, and they're open Wednesday. So, here we are."

When asked if he'll be back with more donations, Cheesman responds, "If we find some more clothes, yeah. We haven't gone through our son's stuff yet, so there's a good chance we'll probably have some more coming down here yet. I wanted to get my little girl down. It's her first time donating."

 

Items that came within a half hour of opening last Wednesday

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