From this Saturday through Tuesday, the Dash! Giving Tree will be located at the entrance of The Market in Anacortes where shoppers can drop off donations of non-perishable food, and/or make monetary contributions to the Salvation Army.
Dash! Coordinator Bev Martin said, “I am thankful to live in a community that is so generous and giving. There is absolutely no reason for local families and children to go without when we have so much to share. On behalf of all the Dash! volunteers, we are grateful for all the kindness of our neighbors and very thankful for everyone who gives so generously.”
Staci Marshall, Manager of The Market, added, “It is very important to those of us who work at The Market in Anacortes to be a part of the Dash! Giving Tree food drive. The Market is an integral meeting place for many of our customers and it is something they have expressed a lot of support for.”
Founded in 2008, Dash! is a 25 member volunteer community service group established to create opportunity and prosperity through an awareness of the abundance that exists throughout our local community.
Through their hard work and dedication to local non-profit organizations, Dash! touches the hearts of people and special projects throughout the county raising contributions and awareness of numerous important community needs.
Last year, Dash! volunteers raised $7,700 for the Hospital Foundation's Raise the Paddle auction; joined forces with The Market in Anacortes, Sebo's Hardware, Frontier Building Supply, Doug Craig and Ed Sprauer (who built the giving tree) raising $5,000 for the Anacortes Food Bank; brought awareness of the need at the Anacortes High School Career Center, raising $1,000 for banners partnering with Dakota Creek Industries and 2Q Nails; assisted with the 2009 Anacortes Library fundraiser, which successfully raised over $4,000; adopted a Christmas family in 2009; and, as recent as Spring 2010, lead the charge to raise more than $25,000 in donations toward the Trestlemania event, rebuilding the pedestrian trestle across Fidalgo Bay. \
Dash! members also regularly contribute to the Anacortes High School lunch program through their spare change program.