As they get ready for the second annual Stuff The Bus event this weekend, the Christmas Angels in Olds and District say there's more demand for their services than ever, due to the downturn in the economy.
“I think we're expecting to hand out more hampers this year than in the past because of the recession – because of what's happening in the oilpatch,” Stuff The Bus chair Heather De Boer says.
“We've had more applications for recipients this year than we've had at this time any other year so we're expecting that the demand's going to be greater this year.”
Stuff The Bus – an opportunity for people to stuff a bus with donated Christmas toys for needy children – takes place this Saturday, Dec. 12 from 10:30 a.m. to about 3:30 p.m. in the parking lot in front of Canadian Tire – the same place where it was held last year.
De Boer says when the committee met last Monday night, 40 recipient applications had been received already.
“That time last year, there were none,” she says. “I talked to the lady who's in charge of that and she has over 80 today. So either they're coming in earlier, or there's more demand this year.
“Last year we supported or supplied hampers to about 147 families. We estimate that to be about 450 people. So we're thinking – just the way that the times are – that we're probably going to having to look at about 170, 175 families this year.
“Of course, we don't know until we get there, right? But if we expect on the high end, then we're prepared.”
Stuff The Bus replaces the Charity Check Stop. Organizers say it proved to be too controversial.
De Boer says last year's Stuff The Bus was so successful it was an easy decision for the committee to run it again this year.
“It was a tremendous response from the community. I was just amazed at how this community just pulls together,” she says. “We estimated last year we brought in over $7,000 worth of toys and $3,500 cash donations, just on that one afternoon.
“The community, the town and surrounding area just support the program amazingly, so it's no wonder we're running it again this year.”
“The bus is so easily accessible. It was quite a photo opportunity for children that we allowed on the bus to place their donations where they wanted them and the parents could take a picture,” De Boer says.
“That went over very well. It just makes them feel a little more involved than handing it to somebody, so we're planning on doing that as well again this year and hope there'll be a good response with the kids.”
Once again, Olds Rotary Club volunteers are expected to come out and help Christmas Angels run the operation.
There's a new wrinkle this year though.
“We've heard a rumour – we'll see if it happens, but the 4-H clubs in the local area are planning on banding together and coming down with a whole bus of 4-H-ers to make a donation to Stuff The Bus,” De Boer says.
“We are expecting a special visitor that day for a little bit as well,” De Boer says.
She's a little cagey about exactly who that person will be, but she's giving a hint.
“It's a red-suit thing,” she says with a laugh.
"We've had more applications for recipients this year than we've had at this time any other year so we're expecting that the demand's going to be greater this year."HEATHER DE BOERCHAIR OLDS CHRISTMAS ANGELS
