A pair of Flin Flon-based charities are well in the midst of planning out their Christmas charity drives.
Both the Friendship Centre and Salvation Army are working on holiday-giving campaigns - the centre is holding its annual Christmas gift program, while Sally Ann is focusing on their annual food hamper program.
The Friendship Centre’s gift program is entering its 30th year in operation and is designed to give any parent or guardian the chance to give their child or children a Christmas present, especially if they might not be able to do so otherwise. The centre is accepting cash or gift donations through early and mid-December and will do present presentation for the program from Dec. 18-22. Parents or guardians will have to register for an appointment for the program, come to the centre, pick one gift per child and wrap it to take home and put under the tree. Kids up to age 17 can be registered - if a parent misses an appointment at a scheduled time, they risk being put on a waiting list for gifts.
The program runs on donations, both for gifts and financially - the centre can issue charity receipts for donations. One of those donation pushes will take place Dec. 1 at the Flin Flon Bomber game, where Northland Ford has sponsored the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss - fans are invited to toss stuffed animals onto the Whitney Forum ice after the Bombers’ first goal of the game. The toys will then be donated to the centre’s gift program following the game.
“Last year, we handed out more than 440 gifts to families. We need all the help we can get,” said Friendship Centre program and events coordinator Joeann Pelletier.
Registration for the program opens Dec. 1 and runs until Dec. 15 - anyone coming in for registration is asked to bring health cards and, if anyone using the program wants to keep the present a surprise for the kids, they’re asked to come to the centre alone.
For more information on the gift program and how to donate, call the Friendship Centre at (204) 687-3900 or see the centre's social media pages for more information.
For the Salvation Army campaign, registration for the hamper program officially ended Nov. 27. In case of any possible open spots, attempts at late applications could be made by calling the church at (204) 687-7812 or emailing [email protected].
Hampers themselves will be distributed in December to different area communities on a gradual schedule.
The group is also holding its annual holiday kettle campaign to raise money through the end of November and into December, posted up outside stores and on sidewalks intermittently in the run-up to the holiday. Anyone interested in assisting with this year’s kettle campaign can call the church.
Any other local organization holding a Christmas campaign or donation drive in December can message The Reminder at [email protected] to help spread the word.
