For over 19 years the volunteers of the Olds and District Christmas Angels Society have been providing food and new toys during the Christmas season to less fortunate families and individuals living in Olds and the surrounding area.
Olds and District Christmas Angels Society relies entirely upon the generous donations of individuals, organizations and businesses to provide the cash and gift donations for our hampers.
In 2016, volunteers delivered 199 hampers to local families -- 661 individuals including 343 children -- who enjoyed a much merrier Christmas thanks to the generosity of the hundreds of people who volunteered or provided much-needed donations to our program.
The Christmas hampers are filled with toys/gifts for each child in the family as well as a grocery gift card from a local grocery store that will help purchase a week's worth of groceries. In addition, families receive a hamper filled with Christmas treats.
The recognition that we are a more diverse culture combined with the knowledge that a lot of people do not know how to cook a turkey, was behind the decision to move to a grocery gift card. The decision was supported by our donors.
The 2017 campaign is now underway and volunteers have placed donation barrels at a number of Olds retail outlets. We will continue to collect toy donations until Dec. 19 and will gratefully accept monetary donations throughout the year.
If you would like to refer someone to our program, wish to volunteer or donate, please call our Angel hotline at 403-415-9627.
The Olds and District Christmas Angels Society is a charitable organization society registered with Canada Revenue Agency and we provide tax deductible receipts for all cash donations over $20.
Our society is managed by a volunteer board of directors and is supported by an army of volunteers.
New in 2017 is the Angel Trees that will be located in a number of retail and financial outlets in town.
The Angel Trees will have angel gift tags with suggested gift ideas for children's gifts. We ask people to take a gift tag and purchase the suggested gift request and bring that gift to one of our donation barrels or boxes in the community. Please attach the gift tag.
Erica Sweetman is an Olds and District Christmas Angels Society director.
