INNISFAIL – Parish members of St. Mark’s Anglican Church are showing the true meaning of Christmas.
The Innisfail church recently donated to several local non-profit organizations, including two in Innisfail.
“We raise money all year long from donations given in our collection plate (during Sunday services),” said Shelley Warnock, people’s warden at the church. “We have a parish council meeting near the end of the year and we decide where the money will be distributed.
“We have four chosen charities that we’re giving money to this year,” she added, noting they raise funds every year. “We wanted to donate a portion of our funds to local, a portion to regional and a portion of our funds to national (charities and organizations).”
This year, they are giving to the Ronald McDonald House and The Mustard Seed in Red Deer, and to the Innisfail Christmas Bureau, and Innisfail and District Food Bank.
The church gave $1,000 to each of the Innisfail organizations and $500 to each of the Red Deer charities.
“It’s a much appreciated donation. We will be able to put it to good use and we really appreciate the parishioners for thinking of us,” said Lynn Holinski, from the Innisfail Christmas Bureau.
The Mustard Seed helps those living in poverty and the homeless.
“This is our busiest time of the season,” said Tyler Hildebrandt from The Mustard Seed. “Needs are high so the donation is very much appreciated.”
In addition to the annual local donations, the church also gives annually to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund.
“It’s a national organization and most of the money goes to the north to help develop in the northern parts of Canada,” said Warnock. “We’re giving some funds to that, the two (organizations) here in Innisfail and the two in Red Deer.”
Warnock said she and her husband, a retired priest, have also visited other parts of the world to help needy families.
“There’s a huge need here, but we as the general public have no acceptance of how blessed we are with what we have,” she said, noting the need here in Central Alberta, especially at Christmastime.
“We know there are people here as well that are not as blessed as we are, so we like to share that blessing if we can,” Warnock concluded.
