Burlington Cougars Junior A Hockey Club organizes toy drive

A toy drive was organized in Burlington on Sunday by a local hockey club.

The Burlington Cougars Junior A Hockey Club set up at Toys ‘R Us on Applyeby Line to collect toys for children in need this holiday season.

The drive was supported by Local 1552 firefighters and collected new unwrapped toys for the Salvation Army Burlington Family and Community Services.

Tiffany Wirth with the Burlington Cougars says it’s important to give the young players perspective when it comes to giving back.

“This time of year we forget a lot of the times, with the hustle and bustle, you get wrapped up in everything else that’s going on, and it’s not just important for the community to give back but it is for these boys too,” Wirth said.

“They’re elite athletes, they spend all day in the gym or on the ice and they need to be pulled away from that sometimes and just reminded how good they have it, and how other people don’t have it as well.”

Wirth says the community response has been large, although slightly quieter due to the Grey Cup this weekend.