Bowden begins hamper program

For more than 30 years the Silent Santas Christmas Hamper Program has helped needy families in Bowden and the surrounding rural areas.

This holiday season, the community is again coming together to share the true meaning of Christmas.

“The program helps families that are in need,” said Shannon Webb, co-chair of the Bowden hamper program. “We put together a hamper to give the families a Christmas dinner and approximately enough food to last them about two weeks or more so that it takes some stress off the local food bank.”

Webb, who has been co-chair for the Bowden program for five years, works alongside co-chair Jessica Cardwell.

The hampers provide a Christmas meal with a turkey or ham, some basic foods, a gift card for perishable food items, and a toy or gift card for each child in the family.

“The families get to choose between a turkey and a ham. There are some essential foods included like pastas and soups, to cover basic needs for a family,” said Webb. “We also include a gift card (for a local grocery store) so they can buy perishable foods like milk and bread.”

Over the years, the town and outlying areas have supported the program, donating non-perishable food items and cash donations, she noted.

“Our town, the community, and the businesses have a great (partnership),” said Webb. “Every year on the first Saturday after Remembrance Day we always have a Bowden craft and bake sale. That helps kick off our Silent Santas season and the start of fundraising for the year,” she added.

Webb said Bowden Grandview School also helps out each year by hosting a program called Scare Away Hunger every October, as well as a shoppers program in December. Food collected in October, and all funds raised in December, are donated to the Silent Santas Christmas Hamper Program.

“Our town is fabulous. It's amazing how much our community pulls together,” said Webb. “It always ends up being a success.”

This year the need for hampers may be a bit higher, said Webb, noting that they are expecting to fill at least 40 Christmas hampers due to economic hardships many families are experiencing across Alberta this fall. That number is up from the 32 families that were helped last year.

Deadline for all donations is Dec. 18. People wishing to donate non-perishable food items or cash donations, can do so at several locations in Bowden, including the Reddi-Mart, the Bowden Town Office or Bowden Physiotherapy.

“We have our youth from the Bowden Evangelical Missionary Church come and help us pack the Christmas hampers on the evening of December 18,” said Webb. “The Christmas hampers are delivered to families the following day on December 19.”

For more information on the Bowden Silent Santas Christmas hamper program, call Shannon Webb at 403-657-3990 or 403-415-5335. [email protected]