Christmas Cheer sends out hampers

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This article was published 15/12/2023 (1020 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

“This is Christmas,” Brandon and Westman Christmas Cheer Registry volunteer co-ordinator Tracy Ainsworth said as she watched the last of the hampers go out to those in need.

In the last month, more than 1,000 food and gift hampers were carefully packed by hundreds of people who donated their time to do so, and even more volunteers who pitched in to make sure those boxes of food and toys were delivered.

Thursday morning was the final delivery day for the Brandon and Westman Christmas Cheer Registry, with vehicles and their drivers lined to take their turn, along Seventh Street, between Rosser and Princess avenues.

As soon as Doug and Marlene Gibson backed into the loading bay and opened their hatchback, volunteers were at the ready, putting in several hampers and handing over the addresses for the Gibsons’ day of delivery.

“We’ve done this every year for three or four years,” Doug said. “Marlene is the navigator.”

“The recipients are so thankful,” said Marlene. “We enjoy seeing their joy, when people get their parcels, they are so happy.”

Doug agreed, and added, some people are shy, but he feels their appreciation.

“With a delivery Wednesday evening, a lady paused and said, ‘Oh, you don’t know how nice this feels, I appreciate this.’ So, there’s a lot of emotion with some,” Doug said.

Sharon Shephard had a big smile as she stood at the back of her half-ton truck while volunteers placed the hampers in the truck bed. Now that she’s retired, she said, she has the time to take part.

“This is wonderful,” Shephard said. “I think it’s really important to give back to your community. I mean, it could be you that needs this one day. Pay it forward. I always tell my boys to pay it forward.”

When Christmas Cheer announced its annual campaign in early November, chairperson Myrna Lane told the Sun they had to put a limit on the number of hampers because of a lack of space and the strain it put on volunteers.

The cap was 1,100 hampers, with a plea for the community to adopt 333 families. As of Dec. 9, all goals were met.

Wednesday and Thursday were set aside for delivery, and as the hampers were moved to the loading bay from the warehouse, Ainsworth said she never thought this day would come.

“It’s just unbelievable. When I came here Nov. 1, the shelves were empty, and then as donations came in, they were piled high stretching all the way to the back,” Ainsworth said as she pointed to the back wall.

Not only did the community answer the call for food and monetary donations, Ainsworth added, but people came in groups offering to help. Taking into account the drivers and those who packed hampers, they had between 300 and 350 volunteers.

“We had two high school football teams. We had several businesses and groups, church clubs, book clubs, even kids from schools, just happy to be bagging oranges,” said Ainsworth.

For the last six years, Ainsworth donated her time delivering meals, and said being a volunteer co-ordinator gave her the opportunity to see the operation from a different point of view.

“It’s been amazing, just amazing to be part of this. At Christmas, people struggle. Everybody does. Even I do. And to come here and to see all of this. This is what it is. This is Christmas,” Ainsworth said.

As of today, Christmas Cheer is closed for a short break, but board members will be back at it for Christmas 2024 in February.

One of the first tasks, Ainsworth said, will be to go through the donations from the Teddy Bear Toss, an annual event that will take place during Saturday’s Brandon Wheat Kings game.

If for some reason the hamper recipient was not home when the driver tried to make the delivery, the hampers will be taken to Samaritan House Ministries, located at 820 Pacific Ave.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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