Employees of the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront made a significant donation to The Salvation Army’s Suffolk location on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Margie Wiley, member of the Salvation Army’s board of directors, contacted the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront to see if they would be willing to donate a shoebox of toiletry items to the organization. The Salvation Army wanted to be able to provide items, such as soap and shampoo, to the patrons that come wanting to use their shower facilities, without the ability to provide these items for themselves, she said.

“Margie, we’re going to do much more than the shoebox,” Wiley said an employee of the hotel told her.

The hotel was able to pack between 100 and 150 bags, each of which contained a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a washcloth, a pair of socks, a little bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap, said Courtney Thompson, catering sales manager of the hotel. These will be dispersed on an as-needed basis to people in need.

Wiley knew of some of the ways Thompson and Brian Williams, general manager of the hotel, have helped the community, Wiley said.

“I just didn’t imagine they would give on the level that they did,” she added. Along with what they have already donated, there is also the possibility that they will be donating some towels, Wiley said.

“We always want to give more,” Thompson said. After deciding to participate in this worthy cause, members of the staff were tasked with going out and purchasing various items to include in each package. Once they finished buying everything, they worked in an assembly-line formation, packing the bags, she said.

“We just really want to help out when we can,” Thompson said. In fact, they made another donation, not too long ago, to the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, where they provided them with various types of office supplies, she said.

The Suffolk Salvation Army helps the community in a variety of ways by also feeding the community and holding a non-denominational church service every week, Wiley said.