July 05, 2025
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Freezin’ for a Reezin’ in Ottawa hits unofficial total of $88,781 in one-day donations

Donations still be accepted online through the weekend

By Michael Urbanec
Ottawa Commissioner James Less and Matt Murray during the annual Freezin' for a Reezin'.

Ottawa Commissioner James Less and Matt Murray sort donated food items Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, outside Handy Foods in Ottawa during the annual Freezin' for a Reezin'. (Tom Sistak for Sah)

WCMY’s 13th annual Freezin’ for a Reezin’ raised a total of $88,781.80, and organizers aren’t quite finished counting.

Morning host Maggie Frost said the final number should be available as early as next week as online donations continue to add up from ottawafoodbasket.org. Donations still are being accepted there through the weekend.

Frost said she anticipates Freezin’ for a Reezin’ to come close to last year’s record of more than $100,000 total donations.

Gary Nelson empties the food items he donated Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, for WCMY's annual Freezin' for a Reezin' outside Handy Foods in Ottawa.

Gary Nelson empties the food items he donated Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, for WCMY's annual Freezin' for a Reezin' outside Handy Foods in Ottawa.

All donations go to the Ottawa Community Food Basket, and the yearly event was accompanied by a live radio-a-thon featuring special guests throughout the day that included Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus and choruses from local schools.

Freezin’ for a Reezin’ has collected more than 417,000 pounds of food and $478,000 in donations since it began in 2009. This year’s drive is hosted by 1430 WCMY, Handy Foods, Stevenson Transfer and the city of Ottawa.