The fourth annual Christmas Store at Hillcrest School continues to grow in support.
Approximately 500 items were donated to the Christmas Store this year, which is a record amount for the program.
“This was the first year that we put anything out into the newspapers (in advance), so the support has been really, really excellent,” said Hillcrest community education liaison Sara Pippus.
“We have a great supply of gifts for all of the kids, and it’s been really nice in terms of them having a great selection to choose from, and we don’t feel like the kids who go through last are getting what’s left over.”
The variety of gifts is also strong, with items for parents, grandparents, siblings and friends.
“We found that people have caught on to what we’re doing, and they really know that we need, with more items for dads, because that’s something that’s not often donated, but this year’s had a good selection brought in for dads,” said Pippus.
The school’s library was transformed into the Christmas Store from Dec. 2 to 8. Each classroom passed through the store for the first time on Dec. 2 and 3, and they selected an item for someone important to them.
Since they received so many donations for the Christmas Store this year, students visited the store for a second time on Dec. 7 and 8, and picked another item.
“It’s really nice, because it’s hard for them sometimes to pick just one parent or just one special somebody,” said Pippus. “They’ll feel like they’ve done their Christmas shopping when they come through our store.”
The gifts were taken to the store’s elves, who applied a gift tag, and then the presents were taken to other elves who wrapped the gifts. The elves were staff, parents and people from the community.
“Then the gifts are all tucked away until next week, when we go and take them back to the kids, and they take them home with them,” said Pippus.
Pippus was impressed that even during the economic slowdown in southeast Saskatchewan, they were able to receive a record number of donations.
Any items that weren’t selected by the students to be a gift will be divided between the Salvation Army and the Second Chance Thrift Store.
