Community invited to “Stuff A Bus” with new and used sporting equipment

Bus parked at tourist booth located on Sandwich St. N.

Posted By Ron Giofu/The Amherstburg Echo

Posted 26 days ago

The town's tourism department is aiming to "Stuff a Bus" with new and gently used sporting equipment prior to the Dec. 23 arrival of the Olympic flame. Visitor information centre manager Jen Ibrahim is helping to promote the initiative. The bus, donated by Sharp Bus Lines, is parked at the visitor information centre on Sandwich St. N.

AMHERSTBURG — Amherstburg is not being asked to "move that bus" like a popular home renovation TV show likes to say, but instead are being invited to stuff one.

The town's tourism department is undertaking organizational efforts to welcome the Olympic torch when it arrives in Amherstburg Dec. 23 on its way to Vancouver. That includes several events leading up to it including the "Stuff a Bus" initiative where residents are invited to donate new or gently used sporting goods. The bus filled with sporting goods will be brought to the post-torch celebration at General Amherst High School Dec. 23 where a "trading post" will be established that will allow people to swap a non-perishable food item for a gently used item.

The food items will be donated to the Amherstburg Food Bank.

Visitor information centre manager Jen Ibrahim said the new sporting goods will be donated to "gold medal" children. The town will set up a Christmas tree at town hall and decorate it with the names of "gold medal" children who have been identified as those who could use such a donation. Ibrahim said the tourism department has been working with local schools to come up with names to put on the tree. The public is invited to pick a name off the tree and sponsor that child.

The bus has been donated by Sharp Bus Lines and is parked at the tourist booth on Front Road North.

"I think it's a great location. It welcomes everyone into town," said Ibrahim.

Ibrahim said such an event will help bring the Olympic spirit to Amherstburg. The torch will enter from the south end of town and leave from the north end of the community.

"This is an opportunity of a lifetime for Amherstburg to host the Olympic flame," said Ibrahim. "We want to capture that and get the whole community enthusiastic and excited about that."