The Winkler and District Christmas Cheerboard made the holiday season a little brighter for 418 households last week.
The non-profit’s volunteers were hard at work Dec. 17-18 wrapping toys and pulling together gift card packages to go out to families in need.
It’s always a busy but rewarding week, shares Cheerboard president Crystal Rempel.
“Cheer Days are always fun. You spend so much time around the table [in advance], everyone has their tasks, but when the rubber meets the road, that’s when it’s fun,” she says. “You’re putting everything together that you’ve worked so hard for, for so long … you get to share some love with others, and they really appreciate it.”
Each recipient household received a grocery gift card to Gardenland Co-op and vouchers for bread at Valley Bakery, peanuts from Sunny Day, pizza from Spenst Bros, and potatoes from The Potato Store.
For families with kids, every child 12 and up got a gift card to either Canadian Tire or Superstore, while kids under 12 received wrapped toys purchased from Canadian Tire or Janzen’s Hobbyland.
“They’re very generous with us,” Rempel notes, explaining they place their toy purchase orders with both places months in advance and the stores deliver the pallets of gifts to the Meridian Exhibition Centre during Cheer Days to be wrapped. “It’s a great partnership, and we really appreciate it.”
As always, there was quite a mix of households applying for Cheerboard hampers—some new to Canada, others longtime residents, large families, small families, young and old.
“There was a huge number of single-person households this year,” Rempel shares. “And lots of larger families as well—we had presents for over 800 children.”
The food and toys go a long way toward helping spread a bit of holiday cheer for families who are struggling to make end’s meet.
Volunteers hear from recipients “how it changed their outlook for Christmas,” Rempel says. “That it was so much more hopeful … that there actually was something to open at Christmas, and the food and all the rest helps them.”
None of this would be possible if not for the outpouring of community support the Cheerboard campaign receives every year. In addition to the volunteers—board members, gift wrappers, and delivery drivers—the Winkler area always steps up financially for the campaign.
At press time, the Cheerboard was still short of its $130,000 fundraising goal, but Rempel was confident they’d get there.
“They’re still coming in,” she says of the donations, noting, for example, the proceeds from Tim Hortons’ hugely successful Holiday Smile campaign were being presented to them just this week. Area schools also collected upwards of $6,800 through their Fill the Stocking festivities. “A number of schools just ran with it, and the kids were learning about generosity and community building … that was awesome to see.
“Businesses have been awesome in how they’ve supported us through all of our campaign,” Rempel adds. “The Holly Jolly Breakfast, our events, the firefighters and the businesses that help support the Flyers versus Fire game … it takes a community, and we really do feel the love and support from the community.”
