A five-year-old’s wish for Christmas isn’t for more gifts under the tree. Instead, he is on a mission to give out 51 sleeping bags to the homeless on Christmas Eve.
Why 51? Because that’s how much Tate Parker has in his piggy bank. He is willing to pay $1 for each bag.
To date, he has collected 48, but on Friday, his mother Angèle said Canadian Tire stores in Victoria and Langford have offered to donate another 51.
“We have been blown away by the reaction,” said Neil Parker, his father. “People have really stepped up to help — especially other children.”
Tate’s kindergarten class at St. Michaels University School have pitched in with donations, as have corporations, such as Canadian Tire.
The idea for the collection came from Tate.
“We were out and we saw some homeless people and he said to me: ‘Dad, it’s cold. Maybe we should give them something warm. After all, they aren’t getting any presents from Santa because they haven’t got a home.’ ”
Parker has been picking up sleeping bags from people’s houses, as well as receiving them by mail. One organization, KindnessYYJ, has offered to clean the bags before they are distributed.
“It’s been overwhelming.”
Unless a person has expressly refused, Tate has written every donor a thank-you letter — with a dollar inside.
The plan is for the multigenerational family, which includes Tate’s parents and step-grandfather, to hand out the bags mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve. The family hopes as many as 51 other kindergarten students from Victoria will lend a hand that day.
To help or if your child wants to give out sleeping bags, contact [email protected] or visit Sleeping Bag Tate on Facebook.
Start the year with a run
Plan to get an early start for next year’s fitness resolutions (or finish off this year’s) by signing up now for Run Through Time, a New Year’s Eve fun walk and run.
Hosted by Frontrunners and Runners of Compassion, the event is a fundraiser for the Victoria Cool Aid Society’s Every Step Counts program and Runners of Compassion’s Shoes for Youth.
The New Year’s Eve event is perfect for people who want to do something special that commemorates the end of the year — but want to avoid parties, dances and drinking too much liquor.
The event kicks off with a kids’ fun run, followed by a three-kilometre walk and a five-km run. It takes place around the University of Victoria’s Ring Road, which will be lit with a few hundred Run Through Time headlamps.
Following the race participants can enjoy snacks and hot beverages supplied by the Red Barn Market and Holly Lee of Re/Max Camosun.
Entry fees are $15 for those 13 and older and $3 for children six to 12 years old until Dec. 16, when entry increases to $20 and $5 respectively. People are also encouraged to bring gently used active wear and shoes. The event starts with registration between 5 and 5:45 p.m. The kids’ fun run starts at 6 p.m. followed by the three and five-km events from the lobby of the McKinnon Building of the university. To sign up visit rtt2015.frontrunners.ca.
For more information about the charities, visit the website runnersofcompassion.com and CoolAid.org/esc or call Gillie Easdon at 250-888-7175.
Saunders family donates almost $50,000
The Saunders Family Foundation recently celebrated its sixth anniversary by donating $49,000 to programs and initiatives in the community.
The money raised comes from sponsors and fundraising events, such as an annual golf tournament held at the Cowichan Golf and Country Club.
Proceeds raised this year support the Comfy Kids Program, Wounded Warriors Program and the Sledge Hockey/Sledge Public Skating program.
This year, two graduating students of the Esquimalt High School mechanical tech program will receive a mechanic’s roll-out tool cabinet (with $500 worth of tools). Saunders Subaru will also supply used vehicles for students in the program to work on.
The foundation has created three new scholarships, of $500 each, for the new Belmont Secondary and Royal Bay Secondary schools, including the First Nation School program.
Food gift will last throughout the year
For some families in need, Christmas will come every two weeks, thanks to a Gift of Good Food.
Last year, the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group and the Gift of Good Food raised $11,000 to help 24 families. Every $500 raised provides a family with a year of Good Food Boxes, which include fresh fruits and vegetables.
“It’s like a little Christmas gift every two weeks for my family,” said one of the recipients, a single mother of two.
Buoyed by their success, the group has engaged with eight other community centres in an effort to raise $50,000 — and expand the program to support 100 families from Sooke to Sidney.
The Gift of Good Food is different than other food hamper programs because it offers fresh fruits, vegetables and support every two weeks, as opposed to a one-time holiday hamper or a choice of non-perishable food items.
Families are chosen based on their need by support workers at the nine participating community centres.
The group’s holiday fundraiser runs until the end of the year. Proceeds go directly to purchasing hampers for families, beginning in January. For more information, go to the Fernwood Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone Ave. on Facebook or thegiftofgoodfood.ca.
Flowers and trees will help fill a dream
Country Grocer is helping make dreams come true for children with life-threatening conditions during its annual campaign to benefit Help Fill A Dream.
The Vancouver Island grocery chain will donate partial proceeds from every sale of a Dream Bouquet or Christmas tree until Saturday. The company is hosting the fundraising campaign for a fifth year.
This is the 30th anniversary of Help Fill A Dream Foundation, which acts as a resource for families in need in addition to making wishes come true for children up to the age of 19. The charitable organization has supported more than 2,000 families since 1986.
The bouquets, designed and supplied by Eurosa Farms, and Island-grown Christmas trees are available at stores in Victoria, Cobble Hill, Salt Spring Island, Lake Cowichan and Nanaimo.
For more information, go to countrygrocer.com.
Clothesline Project tackles gender-based violence
Join the Zonta Club of Victoria as members bring the Clothesline Project to Victoria today.
Organized by Public Service Alliance of Canada B.C., the event is a national day of remembrance and action on violence against women.
The Clothesline Project is a visual testimony of the problem. People can express their emotions by decorating a series of shirts to express the feelings of those who experience gender-based violence. The Clothesline Project is a worldwide movement.
The event is free to attend. It takes place between 5 and 6 p.m. at Holland Point Park, on Dallas Road between Government and Menzies streets.
Historians will sponsor Syrian refugee family
The History Refugee Committee, composed of concerned historians, students and staff at the University of Victoria, are holding a benefit auction on Wednesday.
Proceeds from the event will go toward supporting a Syrian refugee family of five resettling in Victoria.
There will be live and silent auctions, appetizers and a cash bar. Items include vacation stays, restaurant certificates, wine, books and activities. Details and advance bidding are on the Facebook auction page. Tax receipts are available.
The event runs 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Michèle Pujol Room of the Student Union Building at the university. Pay parking is available in adjacent lots.
For more information, go to historyrefugee.org or Facebook.
After retirement, volunteer keeps giving
Gypsy Halasz didn’t let retirement affect her generosity of spirit.
When the longtime Telus employee retired, people were worried that the Christmas Hamper Project, spearheaded by her, wouldn’t continue.
The hampers usually include fresh vegetables and turkeys for Christmas with the stockings customized for children based on the input from their mothers. The hampers are donated to the families at Margaret Laurence House, which provides housing, support and advocacy to women who are leaving abusive relationships.
Halasz has decided to continue her work by becoming a Telus Community Ambassador. For more information, go to margaretlaurencehouse.org
Gingerbread families help build houses
A coffee shop hopes to raise a buzz among its customers by offering gingerbread families with the java this holiday season.
The Good Earth Coffeehouse is donating $1 for every $6.75 cookie package sold until the end of the month to Habitat for Humanity to build a real house.
The chain hopes to sell 10,000 of the packages, which contain three gingerbread cookies, to raise $10,000 for deserving families.
Good Earth has 45 locations in four provinces, including two locally at Village Walk in Oak Bay, Royal Jubilee Hospital and Uptown shopping centre.
People can purchase the gingerbread families at the stores or at goodearthcoffeehouse.com.
A gift of shoes gives hope to homeless
A local ministry is looking to save soles.
ShuGuy Ministries has a simple mandate, to put new shoes on homeless people around Vancouver Island.
Why shoes? Because they believe that hiker-style shoes and boots are the most practical item for people who spend most of their days on their feet.
Why new shoes? Because no one wants to wear someone else’s stinky old ones.
Their goal is to partner with local homeless-advocacy groups and organizations already working with the homeless to distribute them. For more information, go to shuguy.ca.
