This month sees the return of the annual Radio 1XX and Pacific Toyota Cram the Van campaign.

This year’s event – supported by six gold sponsors, six community partners and 18 community organisations, schools and businesses – will see the 1XX team working alongside community groups and businesses to organise a series of events that give the people of the region opportunities to donate non-perishable food, pet food, wrapped gifts and toys for those in need.

Naming sponsor Pacific Toyota is providing the 1XX team with a new, sign-written Toyota Hiace to collect the donations from around the Eastern Bay.

The donations will be distributed among five recipient organisations: Salvation Army Eastern Bay of Plenty, SPCA Eastern Bay of Plenty, Koha Ki Kawerau, Whakaatu Whanaunga Trust in Ōpōtiki and the Ōpōtiki Society for the Care of Animals (OSCA).

Radio 1XX owner-operator Andy Galbraith said he was continually amazed by the generosity of the wider Eastern Bay community and local businesses, with the volume of donations creating the welcome problem of finding somewhere to store everything.

He said people would often bring far more than a single can of food, with some arriving with entire boxes of donations

After filling five vehicles with donated goods last year, Galbraith said St John Whakatāne had offered to store whatever 1XX could not accommodate.

Toyota head office in Christchurch has also offered to help by encouraging Toyota-sponsored partners to get involved wherever and whenever they can.

This has helped bring Rural Support and Life Education Trust on board as supporters this year.

Galbraith is particularly excited about the events planned around Cram the Van.

“We have organised pickups from around the Bay, including Awakeri School, Caltex Whakatāne, Bridgestone Whakatāne, and New World stores in Kawerau and Whakatāne. Cram the Van will also be present at the Whakatāne New World Merry Market evening.

“We will also be participating alongside the Disability Resource Centre to help celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, where they will be hosting a picnic for their members at Mahy Reserve in Ōhope.

“There will also be the Emergency Services Food Drive, with emergency services vehicles travelling through the streets of Whakatāne and Ōhope collecting non-perishable food items to be delivered to 1XX,” Galbraith said.

The collection events will continue with support from WML Paperboard and Whakatāne District Council, which will also be collecting items for pickup.

In Ōpōtiki, Whakatōhea Mussels will provide mussel fritters, alongside a sausage sizzle courtesy of Ōpōtiki New World.

“It’s a way of bringing people together for lunch while bringing something for the van,” Galbraith said.

The Ōpōtiki Golf Clubs will also support the campaign through twilight golf, with entry by donation to Cram the Van rather than a standard fee.

Unpacking day will be December 16 at Pacific Toyota on Commerce Street where invited guests and sponsors will arrive to find the showroom floor filled with donations destined for the recipient organisations.