INNISFAIL – The Innisfail RCMP 25th Annual Charity Check Stop was delayed a year but when it was over there is no doubt the results would have put a big smile on the face of founder Const. Woody Woodfine.
After being cancelled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dec. 11 event on Main Street smashed all donation records.
“He (Woodfine) started this and it has been going strong every since,” said Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk of the former detachment member’s initiative more than a quarter century ago. He added many current members missed the event after its cancellation last year.
“The generosity of the community always amazes us,” said Matechuk. “They really enjoy doing this. It is a good time to give back to the community, and to speak to the people and say, ‘thank you for all the support we get.
“When we didn’t do it last year, we had a lot of sad people. They missed the check stop,” he added.
No one is sad this year. The spectacular success of this year’s event will give many struggling Innisfailians a desperately needed boost.
“We had a record-setting year this year. We’ve never had numbers this high,” said event organizer Const. Craig Nelson, who was working non-stop on Dec. 11 between 48th and 49th avenues on Main Street to offer treats to motorists who stopped to donate money, food or toys.
He said the total cash donations of $17,181.05 was more than $3,000 above the previous high.
The $17,181.05 will be donated equally to the event’s four beneficiary agencies, including the Innisfail and District Food Bank, Innisfail Christmas Bureau, Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre and the Innisfail Youth Positive Assets Coalition. Each agency will receive a cheque this week in the amount of $4,295.25.
Alyssa Barthel, director of community development for the child advocacy centre, was at the event on Dec. 11 with office coordinator Carrie Bottomley.
“We are very grateful to be part of the charity check stop here in Innisfail,” said Barthel, whose agency has its head office in Red Deer. “We do service all of Central Alberta, so it’s important for us to get out to our communities that are outlying outside of Red Deer, and we’re just very grateful for the community support here.
“It’s crucial that there is awareness about our centre so more children in all of our communities, including Innisfail, can be supported.”
The 25th annual check stop also raised two truck loads of high-quality toys and new clothing to hand over to the Innisfail Christmas Bureau for distribution to Innisfailians in need this Christmas. The check stop also took in 649 pounds of food for the local food bank.
“It is incredible, unprecedented. The generosity is just amazing, and we are so thankful to the town of Innisfail for coming out and supporting each other this holiday season,” said Nelson, who told The Albertan on Dec. 11 the need is high for many struggling COVID-weary Innisfailians. “The holidays are so special for a lot of people. They are also hard for a lot of people. If we are able to give a little back, we are happy to do that.”
Insp. Alana McLeod, officer in charge at the RCMP Police Dog Service Training Centre, was invited to help out at the event and said the Innisfail detachment’s quarter-century long charity check stop was a “fantastic initiative.”
“Twenty-five years they have been doing this and it’s just getting involved with the community and the community is phenomenal,” said McLeod.
