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Date: 12/6/2021
SOUTH HADLEY – The Friends of Buttery Brook Park are seeking donations of redeemable bottles and cans to help support park activities.
Linda Young is one of the organization’s founding members and stated that previously one of the park activities, Cruise Night, was “our biggest fundraising activities, and the bottles and cans supplemented that.” She reported that they collected a total of $10,000 in donations from just the bottles and cans over three years pre-pandemic.
Approximately $3,000 of the money raised was put toward the repainting of the cabin in the park, and they are hoping to put in some trails there as well. “Everything’s just kind of on hold right now because of the pandemic. We also bought equipment for the playground and benches for parents and caregivers to come sit on,” said Young.
She told Reminder Publishing that her husband, Doug, collects the bottles and cans and rinses and washes every can before bringing them to be redeemed. He stated that he doesn’t have a set amount of money he wishes to raise this year, but Young said, “Every bit counts.”
Another area where the proceeds will go to is Buttery Park’s annual Santa’s Land that begins on Dec. 9. This year, as with last, the event will take place virtually due to COVID-19. Young stated that “there will be gift bags for each child along with a gift certificate that is printed out that says either “naughty” or “nice.”
Children can also choose to have a photo with Santa and the gift certificate will be melded to the photo. She noted that just the printing cost was $3,000. Typically, they would give out cookies and hot chocolate, and there would be a train ride that goes around the park, but this year they are doing it a little different.
She added that throughout the year, “we try to do concerts to bring people to the park, and then we have children’s activities and children’s programs at the park that we support.”
To sign up for the virtual visit with Santa, go to https://butterybrookpark.org/programsactivities/ Cans and bottle donations can be brought to 15 Westbrook Rd. South Hadley, and can be left on the driveway. Buttery Brook Friend’s can pick up donations in South Hadley only. For information, please contact Linda Young at precincte@gmail.com. The Friends of Buttery Brook Park are 501c3 organization, so any donations are tax-deductible.