Now that we’re into November and the most important time of Remembrance Day is complete, the focus of most people in the community has shifted to Christmas.
We’re thinking of Christmas parties and social outings and community events and school concerts. Of course, we’re also thinking about Christmas shopping and what we want and what we’re going to buy for other people.
We need to be mindful of those who will be in need this Christmas season. And there are plenty of opportunities to support them between now and Dec. 25.
Thankfully, we live in a community well-known for its generosity.
The Estevan Salvation Army and the Community Hamper Association are two well-known initiatives in the community. The Salvation Army plays a valuable role in the community throughout the year, but its presence is heightened in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The kettle campaign is highly visible. The kettles are located at sites throughout the city, and rely on the time of volunteers and assistance of donors alike. Donations vary from some loose change in people’s pockets, to larger cash denominations that represent their support for the Salvation Army. Of course, it doesn’t take long for those donations to add up.
The Salvation Army’s letter appeal is also happening at this time of year, and actually accounts for the bulk of their Christmas donations. If you haven’t received a letter in your mail box yet, you will soon.
The support the Salvation Army receives at Christmas time is used to help local people throughout the year.
Also a big part of the Salvation Army at Christmas is the food bank. The shelves are usually well-stocked by the time Dec. 25 rolls around, allowing the ministry to help people into the new year.
The Community Hamper Association and its Angel Tree project are also a big part of Estevan each year. The hamper association plays a pivotal role in ensuring that people will have a hearty traditional meal on Christmas Day.
The Angel Tree project provides a toy to the children of hamper recipients each year.
Due to the state of the local economy, the hamper association has experienced a considerable surge in demand for its services in the last few years. The community has been there to meet that need.
We’ve also seen a greater profile for both the association and the Angel Tree. We’ve seen toy drives for the Angel Tree. And we’re seeing more people willing to fill a hamper for a local family.
There are other ways to give. The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees, which is happening this coming weekend, is a fun Christmas-themed event that supports healthcare in the Estevan area.
The Hillcrest Christmas Store has been around for nearly a decade. People donate a toy, which children are then able to give to someone they love. For many children, it’s the first time they have truly experienced that idea of giving at Christmas.
If you have a more global focus, fill a shoebox for the Operation Christmas Child campaign, whose collection deadline is next week.
Then there are those fun events in the community that happen each year prior to Christmas, and have a giving component, like the Estevan Bruins Teddy Bear Toss game for the Salvation Army on Dec. 4, the Rotary Club of Estevan’s annual Christmas Carol Festival on Dec. 15, and the annual visit from the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train on Dec. 16.
Many other events in the community will ask you to bring a donation to the food bank or to another cause, instead of charging a price of admission, including those always entertaining Christmas concerts at local schools.
So have fun and be merry this Christmas season. Enjoy the time with family and friends. But remember that this is a time of giving, and not receiving, and that extends beyond Christmas gifts to those who will be in need in the coming weeks.
After all, it’s that type of generosity that we’re known for.
