BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Parks Place Community Resource Center is welcoming October with two exciting community events designed to support families and bring neighbors together: the annual Rake in the Diapers Fall Diaper Drive and a festive community trunk-or-treat.
The fall diaper drive launches in October, to ensure local families have access to this essential – yet often unaffordable – resource. The average cost of diapers is now close to $150 a month per child, creating a heavy financial burden for parents.
This year’s drive includes a fun partnership with the Bellows Falls Opera House. For each diaper donation, donors will receive four free tickets to a Wednesday Night Classic film. Diaper donations will be accepted at the Opera House only during movie showings. Additional drop-off locations include Parks Place Community Resource Center, Westminster Fit Body Boot Camp, Sonnax, Saxtons River Market, Faith’s Toyota Ford, Bellows Falls Moose Lodge, Lisai’s Market, Fall Mountain Pharmacy, Savings Bank of Walpole, and Rockingham Free Public Library.
Parks Place also welcomes monetary donations, which are used to keep the community diaper bank stocked when supplies run low throughout the year.
Join us at Dari Joy, on Thursday, Oct. 9, from 12-6 p.m., for a community collection push. Bring diapers to donate and/or help us hold a sign to spread the word from the curb. Every helping hand (and every pack) makes a difference.
A heartfelt thank-you to Faith’s Toyota Ford for donating a trunk to fill with diapers during the event.
Then, on Thursday, Oct. 30, starting at 4:30 p.m., Parks Place will host a community trunk-or-treat right in front of Parks Place, at 44 School Street Extension, Bellows Falls. Local businesses and organizations will decorate their trunks and hand out treats, creating a safe, family-friendly celebration for children of all ages.
“These events bring together the best of fall – generosity, fun, and community spirit,” said Jennifer Jung Tolaro-Heidbrink, executive director of Parks Place. “By donating diapers, joining us at Dari Joy, or coming out for trunk-or-treat, neighbors are making a direct impact on families right here in Bellows Falls.”