A Christmas tree shortage has forced the Rotary Club of Bracebridge to cancel its annual fundraiser for the Manna Food Bank.
Don Smith, President-elect for the club, says their normal supplier told them they didn’t have enough trees to meet the club’s needs and adds despite calling many other suppliers, they weren’t able to secure enough trees.
Normally, Smith says the club orders a few hundred trees and sells them with proceeds going to the Manna Food Bank in Bracebridge and other programs that support families in need during the holidays.
The hope is for the program to return in Dec. 2023. “We’re hoping to have a festival atmosphere,” says Smith. A Rotarian since the late 80s, Smith adds “some of my earliest memories were going out to a Christmas tree bush and loading them onto a truck to sell in town.”
“This is important for the club,” he adds.
Despite the cancelation of the fundraiser, Smith says the club is committed “long-term” to supporting the food bank. According to him, they hope to be able to help food bank volunteers prepare meals for people in need over the holidays sometime before Christmas day.