Kingston Brothers Organize Bottle Drive to Help Build a Mountain of Toys

Five months of hard work collecting bottles and cans has paid off for Bradley and Link Venus. The eight- and seven-year-old Kingston residents raised $2505, in support of The Salvation Army Toy Mountain Campaign.

“We feel happy about helping children and hope the children have a good Christmas with the new presents,” Bradley said.

The bottle drive started with the boys’ concern for the environment and desire to keep the planet clean. Their mother, Sarah Venus, started a Facebook page for the Venus Family Toy Box, and through word of mouth, knowledge of the bottle collecting campaign spread throughout the family’s Kingston neighbourhood. The family would drive around picking up bottles and cans, and residents would bring their empties for donation to Bradley and Link’s cause.

“We want to make sure other kids can have a good Christmas! We don’t want kids sad at Christmas,” Link said.

A matching donation from a local realtor Martin Ouellet means Link and Bradley have $5,000 to ensure other children in Kingston have gifts under the tree to make Christmas a little brighter. The family has completed the first shopping spree at local toy store The Rocking Horse Toys, purchasing $2505 in gifts for Toy Mountain.

“We’re just trying to raise them right, and teach them to help their community,” said their father, Mike. The boys’ bottle drive campaign made such an amazing difference in the local community that Bradley and Link plan on doing it again. Starting in 2023, the boys plan on collecting bottles and cans for an entire year.

“I don’t know what exactly their vision is yet, but I know that they want to do it next year. It’s just that, at the end of the day, they’re wanting to give back,” Sarah said. “My husband and I are very proud of them and that they are willing to do this without thinking of themselves. They’re very kid driven; they’re all about making friends and making people happy.”

Anyone with bottles and cans to donate to the bottle drive can message the family through the Venus Family Toy Box Facebook page. Residents can also return their own bottles and cans and arrange to e-transfer the donation to Bradley and Link’s fundraising campaign in support of The Salvation Army.