First responders show up en masse for 'Cram the Cruiser'

Saturday at Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, Penticton's first responders – five categories of them – worked the donation angle like a model works a runway.

It was Year 2 of the rebirth of a tradition with the catchiest name around. It’s called Cram the Cruiser, and it sees members of Penticton's first responder brigade hanging out in front of Save-On Foods most of the afternoon and convincing passers-by to donate food, toys and other items to the always worthy Salvation Army.

The Cram the Cruiser part comes about because they place all those donated items in a police cruiser. The goal is to "cram" it full, several times over.

Scheduled to take part Saturday were members of the RCMP, the Penticton Fire Dept., Penticton Bylaw Services, and the Community Policing Unit. And they certainly showed up, many with their professional vehicles.

So too did members of Penticton and District Search and Rescue, which brought the total number of represented organizations to five.

Who could say no to such a show of force?

And the early results were hugely promising. According to co-organizer Travis Mills, a bylaw officer himself, the effort managed to raise more in the first hour Saturday than it did for the entire four-hour 2022 event.

"This (event) happened a few years ago, before my time with the City," said Mills early in the afternoon. "I think it happened at Superstore and I think it was just the police. But after COVID, this is the second year of us all getting together and collaborating."

Mills believes Cram the Cruiser is here to stay, as does Major Paul Trickett of the Salvation Army.

"I think this is awesome," he said Saturday. "I think a community builds a community. With these different agencies and services, we work differently mostly, but now we're working together to really help people and bring Christmas spirit."

According to Trickett, 2023 has been "extremely tough."

"Donations are down, numbers are through the roof quite frankly, and people are really struggling to get by," he said. "Even our donors are asking for help now. I just helped a donor yesterday, someone who's donated many times. I gave them groceries."

Trickett believes the Cram the Cruiser event is awesome not just for cramming the cruiser.

"I think the value of this is not only in the practical giving of need, but showing that when people come together, things happen," he said.

To donate to the Salvation Army, go here.