Residents are invited to help local children bundle up this winter by donating to the City of Hilliard’s fifth annual Cram the Cruiser event.
The event is a coordinated effort between the City of Hilliard’s Division of Police and Recreation and Parks Department to collect new winter items, such as coats, gloves, hats, snow boots, scarves, and hooded sweatshirts, to “cram” a cruiser full.
Donors may use the collection boxes at the Hilliard Community Center, 3800 Veterans Memorial Drive; Safety Services Building, 5171 Northwest Parkway; or Hilliard Municipal Building, 3800 Municipal Way.
Drop-off is encouraged between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, but the boxes at the Division of Police and Community Center will be available after hours. Items will be collected at the boxes through Dec. 4.
Donations also can be dropped off at the Hilliard Tree Lighting, slated for 4 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 in Downtown Hilliard. A cruiser will be located near First Responders Park.
“This annual holiday tradition in Hilliard has grown enormously over the past five years thanks to the generosity of so many residents, businesses, and organizations in the Hilliard community,” said Chief of Police Michael Woods. “We take pride knowing this event ensures every child in Hilliard who needs a coat in Hilliard will get one.”
All collected items will be given to K-12 students at Hilliard City Schools.
“We are grateful for the support from the Hilliard Division of Police and our entire community,” said Hilliard City Schools spokesperson Stacie Raterman. “These coats, gloves, and hats will help so many students in our community stay warm this winter. Hilliard is an amazing community.”
Hilliard’s Cram the Cruiser is generously sponsored by Amazon Web Services, Credit Union of Ohio, Ease Logistics, Hillgarten, Mayco Colors, Massey’s Pizza, and Painter and Associates.
In addition to City buildings, donations can also be dropped off at the following locations:
- Credit Union of Ohio, 5500 Britton Parkway
- State Farm Insurance — Shannon Best, 3679 Fishinger Boulevard
- Hillgarten, 4131 Main St.
- Coffee Connections, 4004 Main St.
- Mayco Colors, 4077 Weaver Court
- Hilliard United Methodist Church, 5445 Scioto Darby Road
- Crooked Can Ohio, 5354 Center St.
- Northwest Bible Church, 6639 Scioto Darby Road
- Scioto Orthodontics, 6358 Scioto Darby Road
- Hilliard Church of the Nazarene, 3669 Leap Road
- Hilliard Church of Christ, 4300 Avery Road
- Eramo and Sons, 3670 Lacon Road
- Massey’s Pizza, 5068 Cemetery Road
- Premier Chiropractic Center, 3615 Fishinger Boulevard
