And behind the scenes, the volunteers who do the fundraising (like long-time Bingo secretary-treasurer Don Sedgwick) and help spread awareness through floats in the Canada Day and Santa Claus Parades also deserve a lot of credit.
Robinson cannot say enough about the wonderful community support. When a thrift store (like Habitat For Humanity's ReStore) comes into a walker or wheelchair, they pass it along. When Northumberland Hills Hospital updates its inventory of wheelchairs or other devices, Humanitarian Services gets the old ones. And Canadian Tire has offered a significant discount on wheelchair purchases.
The growth of the service can be traced in the sheer numbers of walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, canes, toilet chairs, transfer chairs, bed rails and other devices they offer
They used to be able to store their inventory in the Cobourg Memorial Temple basement. Eventually, it overflowed into the trailer they purchased and kept parked in the northeast corner of their parking lot.
Eventually, again, they needed more storage space, so they purchased an old U Haul van. When it was no longer worth repairing, they kept the trailer and scrapped the vehicle. It took a crane, but that trailer is now permanently set down in the parking lot's northwest corner. And what they made on the scrap metal from the vehicle part helped cover that cost.
It's a canny group about making the most of their opportunities – accepting donated equipment, performing small repairs, actively fundraising to keep the service thriving for those who need it most. And many of their open-for-business days find people stopping in to show their support with a cash donation.
“Donations aren't necessary, but they are appreciated,” Scott said.
Even donations of small amounts add up and make a difference, he has found.
“People really appreciate what we do, and we appreciate what they give us.”
If Humanitarian Services could make a difference for you or a loved one, stop in on a Tuesday or Thursday and say hello.