Meet Saskatoon’s toilet paper fairy

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a Saskatoon man is spreading cheer one toilet paper roll at a time.

Shane Dankoski has been buying up toilet paper around the province and giving it away to people in need because of grocery stores that have been picked clean.

It started when the truck driver put up an ad on Facebook. It immediately took off. Since then, he and his wife have handed out over 200 rolls, with the requests not slowing down.

“I had to update the post and say ‘due to an overwhelming response we’re just picking here and there,’” Dankoski said. “You can’t go through every one. It’s impossible.”

He says people are so thankful when he shows up at their door, but says it is also sad to see how desperate some people are.

“They want to hug you. They’re literally crying and I’m just like ‘Jesus this is just toilet paper.”

“There was a lady 81-years-old. She had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She just asked for half a roll and I gave her a pack of four and she was so thankful.”

Stories like that are the reason Dankoski started his TP crusade. He said he plans to keep going as long as there is a need.

“I don’t want to be praised for it, or recognized for it because it is really nothing,” he said. “It’s just something we wanted to do to help out and give back.”

His one hope is his good deed inspires others to pay it forward.