The holiday season is often a time for joy, giving, and community spirit. In the Rural Municipality of Grahamdale, however, this year brings an unexpected twist. Residents have learned that the beloved Christmas Cheer Board will not be operating in 2024.
The RM announced the news to the community in a Facebook post on Monday, Dec. 9. The post said that despite their efforts, the RM was unable to secure a local community group to oversee the initiative for 2024.
The RM of Grahamdale and RM of Siglunes took over the operation of the Christmas Cheer Board in 2013. Until then, the Lakeshore Women’s Resource Centre had been running it for a few years. In 2014 and 2015, the Lakeside Sno Drifters coordinated the cheer board, getting the names and ages of those in need. The Lakeshore Family Resource Centre then coordinated the Cheer Board again in 2016, and the organization has done it since then.
Since 2013, the local Cheer Board hasn’t missed a holiday season — it’s delivered Christmas hampers to local families in need for 10 straight years. Those hampers were full of everything needed for a Christmas dinner and then some, and toys and gifts for children in the families.
“The Lakeshore Family Resource Center couldn’t keep doing it,” said Devan McCoubrey, assistant chief administrative officer (CAO) with the RM of Grahamdale. “It’s a lot of work, and you need so much space. With no other community groups stepping forward, unfortunately, we really didn’t have much of a choice.”
That’s not to say hampers aren’t going out to those who need them this year, though. The Lakeshore Family Resource Centre puts together Harvest Manitoba food hampers every year, and 2024 is no exception. These hampers will include food for the holidays but no toys or gifts for the children. They’ll be going to registered clients of the centre who signed up before Dec. 13 this year.
McCoubrey said the Lakeshore Family Resource Centre has 71 local families registered to receive a Harvest Manitoba hamper this year. The centre is not accepting donations for this year’s hampers, but businesses that have already collected non-perishable items for them can drop them off at the centre to be distributed. The hampers will be going out on Dec. 20.
Other community groups and organizations have been making hampers for local families, and McCoubrey said the positive response on Facebook to the announcement of no Cheer Board this year gives the RM hope someone or a group will take it on in 2025.
