By Brendan Rees
Casey Cardinia Libraries (CCL) is establishing Forgiving Trees at all its branches in the lead-up to Christmas.
Casey Cardinia Libraries CEO Chris Buckingham said people were welcome to contribute items of food or unwrapped gifts for people in need of support.
“If donors have library fines, CCL will waive their fees in acknowledgement of their generosity,” Mr Buckingham said.
“This is the season for giving, and we want people across our community to know that if they pay it forward and help out others, we will return the favour.”
The Forgiving Tree is a golden opportunity for library members with overdue items or fines to wipe the slate clean and feel good about it.
“We know Christmas is a time where lots of households are under pressure to make ends meet. As a public library service, we take great pride in providing useful and free services in safe welcoming places. By waiving fines and encouraging people to visit our libraries, we can bring people together and help celebrate the best things about community life in Casey Cardinia,” Mr Buckingham said.
The Forgiving Tree campaign will run from 7 November to 24 December, and all donated goods will go to local charities.
Keith Vethaak from Transit Soup Kitchen said: “Receiving non-perishable food from Casey Cardinia Libraries Forgiving Tree means that Transit Soup Kitchen will be able to increase the number of people we support at this time of the year with much-needed food, helping families through the tough Christmas period”.
Non-perishable food needs to have its packaging intact with best before dates in 2018. Christmas gifts must be new and unwrapped.
