Staff of The Raceway at Western Fair District and some local horse people have teamed up this holiday season to help spread some Christmas cheer and show their support for the Salvation Army’s Hamper program which provides food and toys to the less fortunate in the city of London.

The group joined a large number of volunteers on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 10th and helped sort toys which will be distributed to families just prior to Christmas.

“Western Fair District always strives to make a difference in the communities we serve and with the Salvation Army Hamper Program setting up on our grounds, it made perfect sense for us to give what we could to help out,” said Marketing Coordinator Sarah Imrie. “Many of the staff and friends of the Raceway jumped at the chance to donate their time and energy to help this great cause and I’m very proud to work beside them.”

Another group of Raceway volunteers will be assisting on December 18th, just one day before the Hamper program ends for this year. Customers can donate a new, unwrapped toy in the lobby of the grandstand up until December 16th while horse people can drop their gifts off at the race office.

“I was looking forward to this day. I get a lot out of volunteering and we had a great mix of people showing up to support the cause on behalf of The Raceway,” said track announcer Shannon ‘Sugar’ Doyle. “It just gives one a great a feeling knowing that he or she may have played a role in making someone’s Christmas just a little bit brighter.”

The Raceway will once again be a busy place this holiday season with all sorts of live racing scheduled, including special programs on December 26 (Boxing Day) at 1:15 p.m. and December 31 (New Year’s Eve) at 8:00 p.m.

(Jake MacDonald Photo. From L-R: Shannon Doyle, Terry Johnson, Jane Belore, Kerri Johnson, Marie Jackson, Greg Blanchard, Dean Wall, Lynda Mathers and Clare Wall representing The Raceway at Western Fair District)