Sarnia's Mitton Village will be a little warmer this holiday season thanks to one local resident.
Nicole Fitzgerald has set up her Tree of Warmth on Mitton Street, which allows anyone to help themselves to some warm winter gear they happen to need.
The small spruce tree is filled with scarves, blankets, gloves, toques and other items put there by Fitzgerald and others who donated.
She said she can already see the difference it's making.
"I've watched people come up to the tree, and they go around the tree and they carefully select what they want, you can see them thinking," said Fitzgerald. "And then they take the item, put the bag in their pocket, put the gloves on right away and go on their way."
Fitzgerald said all the initial items put on the tree November 22 have been taken by those that needed them, but more donations are pouring in from across the community every day.
Donations can be dropped off on her porch on Mitton Street located between Maria Street and Penrose Street.
"I have a nice warm house, I get to sit inside and I watch people walking by in nothing but a hoodie in frigid temperatures, and it's just kind of sad. So I put some gloves out and some hats out, and then I posted about it on Facebook and it just kind of exploded," she said.
Fitzgerald said she would love to see the idea spread to more trees and fence posts around Sarnia-Lambton.
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