OLDS - Hundreds of Christmas hampers will be distributed in Olds starting tomorrow, Dec. 18, capping off what organizers are calling another successful community effort to help those in need this holiday season.
“A big thank you to the community. This year the community really stepped up and helped us, from the dealerships and small businesses to the big supporters who are always there. We’ve had a ton of support this year so we’re really grateful for that,” said Claire Rosehill, a spokesperson for Olds and District Christmas Angels Society.
For 21 years, society volunteers have been providing food and new toys during the Christmas season to less fortunate families and individuals living in Olds.
The charity relies entirely on donations from individuals, organizations and businesses that provide the cash and gift donations for Christmas Angels hampers.
It held its largest, one-day fundraising drive – Stuff the Bus – on Saturday, Dec. 12.
“The purpose is to get the community out to donate unwrapped toys, cash gift cards and be a place where they can bring all that. It’s the last day before we start stuffing hampers,” said Rosehill at the tail end of the event.
By the end of the day, seats in the school bus parked in the Canadian Tire parking lot were brimming with gifts ready for sorting and packing.
Cut-off for registering families or individuals to receive a hamper is Tuesday, Dec. 15.
“We’re probably expecting about the same as last year or a little more. We typically do about 200 hampers. Last year we did 215. This year we could do more than that we’re really not sure,” she said.
Angels volunteers interview registered families and individuals on the list to find out their needs and wants.
Christmas Angels tags dispersed throughout town allowed people to buy specific things for specific demographics – actual children’s wishes, noted Rosehill.
New this year was an expanded focus on seniors, she added.
“We’ve had a separate group that has taken on the seniors hampers,” she said. “So, less of toys more of toiletry items, bath things candles, just something for them to have to open up Christmas day, like gift cards too.”
