AAFRC celebrates the season
Families from across the region gathered in Altona last Friday for a festive and inclusive event hosted by the Altona and Area Family Resource Centre (AAFRC).
Haley, 2, decorates the Christmas tree at AAFRC’s Celebrate the Season bash Friday
The centre’s annual Celebrate the Season party welcomed families from Altona, Gretna, and Rosenfeld for a morning focused on togetherness, learning, and seasonal fun.
“This event has been going on for years and years,” shared AAFRC coordinator Nina Edbom-Kehler. “The name has changed over time, but the idea has stayed the same…to create a welcoming space for everyone, no matter what they celebrate at this time of the year.”
The name was adjusted to better reflect the area’s diverse community, she noted.
“We didn’t want to just focus on one holiday. Everybody is celebrating something, even if it’s just keeping warm or enjoying the snow.”
The event featured a variety of free activities aimed at young children and their caregivers. Santa was on hand for visits and photos. Children could also explore a sensory bin and take part in hands-on learning activities set up throughout the room.
“Instead of centrepieces on the tables, we have what’s kind of like a preschool learning fair,” Edbom-Kehler explained. “There’s sorting, counting, colours, patterning, play-dough for fine motor skills, and always a craft table.”
Edbom-Kehler, who has worked with the centre in various capacities for more than 20 years, said the event plays an important role in bringing families together.
“We only hold one Celebrate the Season, so it gives families from all of the communities we serve a chance to come together, see each other, and just be festive.”
She emphasized the importance of community support in making the free event possible.
“First and foremost, we want to thank the families, because they’re the ones that make it all happen,” Edbom-Kehler said. “Everything we offer is free, and that takes a lot of grant writing and sponsorship.”
The Town of Altona provided the venue, Sun Valley Co-op provided funding and snacks, and Tim Horton’s supplied coffee and Timbits.
