Milligan Drive will be buzzing with activity on Friday afternoon. The annual Okotoks Charity Checkstop takes place Dec. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Milligan Drive, north of the Okotoks Recreation Centre. Proceeds from the checkstop go toward Rowan House Emergency Shelter and food items are collected for the Okotoks Food Bank. Okotoks municipal enforcement officer Kai Kleckner said he hopes to beat last year’s numbers, when more than $7,500 was raised for Rowan House and six truckloads of food were taken to the food bank. “We don’t really have a goal for food, but we average around five or six truckloads every year,” said Kleckner. “We do aim to raise $10,000 for Rowan House.” Okotoks Municipal Enforcement is partnering with the Okotoks RCMP, Foothills Victim Services, Okotoks Fire, EMS, the King’s Own Calgary Regiment and representatives from Rowan House Society and the Okotoks Food Bank, he said. Drivers will also be greeted by Safety Bear and Sparky the Fire Dog, who are always eager to help, he said. Kleckner said the Charity Checkstop was started about a decade ago by former Okotoks municipal enforcement officer John Edwards as a way for emergency services to give back to the community. “We picked those two charities because we thought they were the most in need at Christmas time, especially Rowan House with the women and young children,” said Kleckner. Though it’s a checkstop, he said people have the option of driving through – but he hopes most drivers will come prepared with cash and food items in their vehicles if they travel down Milligan on Friday. There is also an option to pull into the curling rink parking lot if someone has a lot of items to unload, he said. “We encourage that, so people don’t have to try to haul stuff off the road if there’s a lot or if there are some larger items,” said Kleckner. Volunteers will be handing out candy canes and hot chocolate to those who go through the checkstop as they take donations, he said. It’s a charity event, but that doesn’t mean drivers will be able to get away with anything, he said. “If someone got stopped and there were some things that had to be dealt with they obviously would be, but it’s not the main purpose,” said Kleckner. “But if you come across something you have to deal with it.”
