INNISFAIL – The Innisfail and District Christmas Bureau is now open for business for its 35th year of helping the community's needy during the holiday season.
Volunteers, with the help of the Innisfail Fire Department, officially opened the doors of their headquarters on Nov. 14 at the former location of The Source at Henday Mall.
The agency will once again assist hundreds of the needy, from children, to single parents to entire families, to ensure each has a wonderful Christmas.
The bureau held its first registration evening on Nov. 15. They will be held every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. The last registration evening will be held Dec. 11. Clients will be advised of their hamper pickup date when they register.
For those citizens who want to register they are asked to bring their Alberta Health Care number, last bank statement, proof of address and income. For more information on registering citizens can call 403-227-3111.
Karina Lucas, chairperson of the bureau, said the agency is asking the public to donate only new items.
“A lot of times when people think of the Christmas Bureau they think of little children,” she said, noting her agency caters to children up to the age of 18. “Obviously those toys are important, but we always have a shortage for the teens, especially teen boys. So anything new -- books, gift cards, and we need a lot of stocking stuffer items – basically anything from the stocking up to the main gift we need.”
Donations to the Christmas Bureau will be accepted at the Innisfail Dairy Queen, town office, and the Christmas Bureau location on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
In the meantime, Jim Herman, the agency's volunteer registration record keeper, said his records for 2016 are showing that usage for the local Christmas Bureau is down “significantly” from 2015 and even from the year before.
There were 173 total registrations in 2016, compared to 198 in 2015, a decrease of 12.5 per cent. Last year there were a total of 423 clients, compared to 503 in 2015. That is a 16 per cent drop.
The total children under the age of 19 served by the Christmas Bureau in 2016 was 184, compared to 215 in 2015, a decrease of seven per cent.
“Our statistics for last year for whatever reason were down somewhat. We will see how it goes for this year. As far as expectations go we will carry on, providing the service we've had in the years past,” said Herman, whose agency continues to praise the level of support from Innisfailians.
“It is unbelievable the community support we get here, both corporate and individual. You would be just amazed at how much people do as far as donations and as far as chipping in to help. We've got a very healthy group going here.”
For more information on the Innisfail and District Christmas Bureau go to the Facebook page at Innisfail Christmas Bureau or call 403-872-8944.
Jim Herman, volunteer at the Innisfail and District Christmas Bureau
"It is unbelievable the community support we get here, both corporate and individual. You would be just amazed at how much people do as far as donations and as far as chipping in to help."
