The Sooke Christmas Bureau is still far from its goal of $25,000. To date they have raised about $6,000 in the community for Christmas hampers for the less fortunate.
Each year scores of volunteers give of their time and energy to ensure that over 400 people have a Christmas dinner.
They need food, money and volunteers to help make this a holiday for the disadvantaged. This includes the homeless, working poor, seniors and children.
What is needed as far as food goes is carrots, apples, onions by the bag, canned fruit and cranberry sauce, stuffing mix and canned tomato sauce. These items would be for the Christmas hampers, but regular needs include items such as nonperishable canned goods, peanut butter, cereal and pasta.
People who could volunteer a few hours are desperately needed on December 19, 20 and 21 for sorting the food for hamper day on December 21. If you want to help you can show up at the Sooke Community Centre at 9:30 a.m. on any of those days. If you can lend a hand call 250-642-1534.
The Leadership class and the Youth for Change Organization will be assisting on December 15, 19 and 21. On December 15 volunteers will be sorting all of the food donations from the Santa and Candy Cane Runs put on by the Sooke Fire Rescue Services and the Otter Point and East Sooke Volunteer Fire Departments.
“We really need more volunteers there too,” said Christmas Bureau spokesperson Pat Phillips. “We welcome new volunteers.”
To top it all off the Sooke Philharmonic Quartet will be performing during the hamper pick up time on December 21.
It will indeed be a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays for many through the kind and generous people in Sooke.
Cheques to the Christmas Bureau can be mailed to Box 983, Sooke, BC V9Z 1H9.