Category: Toy Drive

Children’s Aid and Food Bank: Thank You to All Who Donated

Dear family and friends,

Sincere thanks to all who have donated so generously with food or monetary transfer to the St Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank and Children’s Aid of Durham, serving the needs of many families across our communities of Pickering and Ajax.

St Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank

We are extremely pleased to inform you Dec 11, 2024 we provided 331 pounds of food (a record amount for us), along with significant amount of funds to the food bank. Lindsey Morrill (Food Bank Director) expressed her sincere gratitude for our efforts and significant contributions.

Sadly, demand for support continues to increase substantially, with numbers posted on their site including those helped, individuals fed, volumes distributed and household visits Food Bank | St Paul’s on-the-Hill Community Food Bank | Ajax Pickering | Ontario . Although they receive donations from many sources, she re-iterated “it all goes out as fast as it comes in”, highlighting the need for continuous support.

On behalf of Lindsey Morrill, Rick D’Souza and myself (supported by the Pickering Squash Club), a sincere thank you for supporting our community in need. 

Happy New Year to you and loved ones. 

Best regards,

Rick D’Souza & Fred Dizig

Pickering Squash Club

Make a Difference This Holiday Season – Join Our Annual Toy Drive & Round Robin!

The holiday season is a time of joy, tradition, and togetherness. But for some families in our community, it can also be a time of great vulnerability. Many face the heartbreak of struggling to provide for their children or maintain cherished traditions, making the holidays feel like a challenge instead of a celebration.

That’s why every year, our squash club comes together for something bigger than squash: our Annual Toy Drive & Round Robin. It’s our way of giving back, supporting families in need, and rediscovering the true spirit of the season.

Join us

Here’s how you can join us:

Sign up for singles on the board in the singles court area and for doubles on the board outside the doubles courts.  You can also respond to Nicole and let her know if you would prefer to play doubles or singles and she will add you to the list. 

  • Bring an unwrapped toy and nonperishable food item(s) to donate.
  • Participate in a fun and friendly round-robin tournament.
  • Date: Monday Dec. 9th 
  • Time: 6:00 sharp 

Why This Matters

By giving, we help families feel the warmth of the holidays and create moments of joy for children who might otherwise go without. It’s also an opportunity to counterbalance the season’s consumerism and focus on what truly matters – kindness, connection, and community.

Celebrate Our Club Community

And let’s not forget, this event isn’t just about helping others. It’s also about celebrating and strengthening the bonds that make our squash club so special. It’s a chance to reconnect with fellow members, share some laughs, and celebrate what it means to be part of a team that cares.

The night will include both doubles and singles squash round-robin fun games for all levels of players and all ages (the more the merrier)!  The evening will finish off at Sabina’s restaurant for some drinks and food for those of you who would like to join us!

Join Us and Make a Difference

So, whether you’re here to play, donate, or simply show your support, your presence will make a difference. Together, let’s show the power of our community to bring hope, joy, and generosity to those who need it most.

Looking forward to playing some “fun” squash and helping to put smiles on some children’s faces this holiday season! 

2023 Toy Drive A Great Success

On behalf of the PSC executive team, a sincere thank you for joining us for a fun evening of squash, social and contribution to our toy drive in support of the Children’s Aid Society of Durham Region. A better turn out than expected and significant contributions!

Special thanks to Nicole, Steve Dizig, Sara Jane Cresswell, Jim Delouchry, and others (apologies for others missed) who helped organize this special event. We are very pleased to inform you Steve delivered a very large load of toys, including several hand made and donated by previous member, to the CAS this morning. Rest assured all donated toys will be provided to children in need, under the care of the CAS. There are so many heart breaking stories with children we are helping to brighten their day.

Thank you all again for your kindness and generosity, during such difficult times. A huge thank you as well, passed along from the Children’s Aid Society of Durham Region! 

Best regards, Merry Christmas, happy holidays and prosperous 2024 to all! 

Fred Dizig

President, PSC.

Check out a few pictures from the 2023 Toy Drive Night.

Reminder: Holiday Toy Drive & Fun Squash Night, Monday Dec 18!

Just a reminder that this year’s Holiday toy drive & squash fun night is this Monday, Dec 18, start time 6:15 pm sharp.

Please remember to bring an unwrapped toy to donate to a local charity (Durham Children’s Aid) to help support families in need of buying gifts for their children this holiday season.

For those who have yet to sign-up, sign-up sheets are still posted outside of the singles & doubles courts. You can sign-up for either the singles or doubles round robin. But if you don’t get a chance to sign up – show up anyway!

All levels are welcome to come out and play! We will be meeting in the doubles courts at 6:15 to collect the toys and go over the game rules for both the singles and doubles play for the evening.

If you are unable to attend Monday evening, please drop off an unwrapped toy either Sunday morning between 10am and 12noon in the doubles courts. It means so much to those less fortunate this holiday season!

When the round robins are done, we will be going out for some food, beverage & holiday cheer!

We hope to see everyone there!

Check out the toy drive from last year!

Due to Covid our annual Toy Drive did not happen this year.

But don’t think that this small fact stopped the generosity of our members.

This year, our charity leaders continued there efforts to make Christmas a little better for those less fortunate.

Steve Dizig has headed up the Toy Drive for the past number of years. This year, with the help of Master Woodworker, Steve Flude, who made boxes full of wooden toys, and other members who turned up with unwrapped toys, Steve and Fred Dizig were able to again deliver a van load of toys to the Durham Children’s Aid Society.

Rick D’Souza has championed our Christmas Food Bank Drive contributions in the last few years. This year, again with the help of Fred Dizig, he collected contributions from friends and members of the club. They were then able to take a van load of food and a fist full of cheques totalling $2000 to the St. Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank.

Thank you to these dedicated members and to all those who contributed to the success of our Toy Drive and Food Bank Drive that “didn’t happen” this year.

2020 Toy Drive A huge Success. Thank You

Thank you so much to our membership who came through in a big way to fill the barrels with toys for girls and boys. The Durham Children’s Aide Society (DCAS) volunteers were thrilled when Rick D’Souza, Steve and Fred Dizig pulled up this afternoon to deliver all the wonderful gifts that The Club had collected over the last few weeks.

Thank you for the special efforts of Rick D’Souza for providing the barrels, Joan Hill for the signs and Rick, Fred and Steve for delivering to the DCAS. And thank you to Jody Morris and her staff at the Recreation Complex for their support of this project.

Our membership is second to none. In the middle of a pandemic when you are barred from playing the game you love, you come through like gangbusters.

We look forward to next year when we can again have a roaring Fun Tournament Night like we have in the past.

The Squash Club Executive

Time Running out on the Christmas Toy Drive

The Toy Drive is in full swing and going well.   The barrels all have toys in them.  Thank you to those who have made the trek to the Recreation Complex and deposited toys for the Toy Drive. 

But we did notice that there was a lonely little bear at the bottom of one barrel.  He’s wishing that a lot more toys will join him in the barrel. 

This coming week (Nov 23rd) is the last week for collecting.  We must deliver the toys to the Durham Children’s Aid Society next weekend.  If you do intend to donate, please do it sooner than later.  This weekend would be a good time.  The latest news from Ontario is that Durham is moving into the RED ZONE.  This may mean a curtailing of play at the Squash Courts as early as this coming Monday.   

Another of the club’s pet charities,  The St Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank,  is also in need of our help at this time of year.  I drove past the Food Bank last Friday morning and I was saddened to see the lineup of people waiting to get help.   Normally our club runs the Pickering Squash Club Golf Tournament in Support of the Food Bank.  This year, because of the pandemic, we had to cancel the tournament.  This meant that the usual $10,000 to $12,000 that the Food Bank would get from our efforts was not there this year.  If you are considering making charitable donations this season, please consider the St Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank.  They do accept donations on-line at the following:

https://www.stpaulsonthehillfoodbank.ca/on-line-donations.php

Each year, the Pickering Squash Club Members band together to help make Christmas a little better for those less fortunate. The challenges of 2020 are not going to stop us from continuing this tradition.   Let’s show that the Pickering Squash Club is ready to help. 

The Executive of The Pickering Squash Club

2020 Christmas Toy Drive

Each year, the Pickering Squash Club Members band together to help make Christmas a little better for those less fortunate. The challenges of 2020 are not going to stop us from continuing this tradition.

This year we will not be able to have our annual Toy Drive Round Robin Fun Night. Covid-19 has put a damper on this. The Club will instead provide new ways to collect donations for this worthy cause.

In association with the City of Pickering and the Chestnut Hills Developments Recreation Complex (The Pickering Recreation Complex) we are setting up DONATION BOXES in the lobby of the Recreation Complex. We are encouraging all our members to bring new unwrapped toys to drop off in the boxes. The drop off point will be available till the last week in November when the Club Executive will deliver them to the Durham Children’s Aid Society. This will give the Society time to sort and distribute then to needy families.

The courts are now open for play. Reserve a court. Get out and play a match. And when you do, bring along an unwrapped toy for the Donation Box.

The 2019 gang with all the toys ready to go to the Durham Children’s Aid Society

2019 Toy Drive / Fundraiser a Great Success

Toy Drive / Fundraiser Cheers from the participants

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to all the wonderful Club Members who donated toys and money to this years Event. Everyone had a great time on both the Singles and Doubles courts. Lots of toys were collected and a substantial amount of money will make Naiya’s life a little easier.

Steve Dizig delivered a car load of toys to the Durham Children’s Aid Society on behalf of the Club. These will go to help make a Happy Christmas for many children.

Steve Dizig dropping off toys at the Durham Children’s Aid Society.

Monday December 2nd Holiday Fun Night, Toy Drive & Fundraiser.

Hi Everyone,
The holiday season is almost here and I would like to invite you all to join us for our annual Holiday Round Robin Fun Night.  The night will include both doubles and singles round robin games for all levels of players (the more the merrier)!  The holiday season is about giving.  Every year, we collect a donation from everyone that goes towards helping out families in need over the holiday season…

….Click Here to See More about Naiya …..

Here are the details for the evening…
Date: Monday Dec. 2nd
Time: 6:15 – 8:00 Squash Round Robin with a BINGO game twist!
What to bring: A cash donation.  We are asking for a minimum of $10 but anything over $10 would be very much appreciated.We will have a box to place your donations just outside the courts on Dec. 2nd
We will be heading over to Sabina’s restaurant for some holiday food and beverage following our fun night at the squash club.  
I will have a sign up sheet posted in both the doubles and singles court area or feel free to respond to me and let me know if you would prefer to play doubles or singles.  
Looking forward to playing some “fun” squash and making things just a little bit easier for our little friend Naiya and her mom.  
See you on the courts,
Nicole