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Gifts for the guys

Nov 16, 2018 | 1:00 PM

The 2018 annual Community Christmas Dinner is rapidly approaching, and in anticipation of the event gifts are being gathered to make the season a little merrier for men in the community.

Coun. Charlene Miller has championed a program within the community for several years where she collects necessities such as winter wear, toiletries and chocolate, packs them into purses and gifts them to women at the event.

Regular volunteer Conrad Burns and Coun. Evert Botha were took on the opportunity to replicate the endeavour after noticing a lack of such campaigns for men in the community.

“We’re currently in the process of getting underway for the 2018 Christmas Gift Bags for the Guys. We started this last year and it was such an overwhelming success that we decided to give ourselves a little bit more time this year and start two weeks earlier,” Botha said.

“Our goal is 150 bags stuffed with toiletries, mittens, gloves, toques, candy, chocolates, and anything that a male in the city may enjoy. As shoppers we often take things like these for granted. There are many fathers, brothers, and uncles in the community that may not have that opportunity.”

Last year Botha and Burns had an overwhelming response to their call to the community for Christmas bags, shattering their initial goal of 100 bags.

This year they hope to once again surpass their initial goal and Botha added this campaign will carry on into future holiday seasons.

“We will most definitely continue, as our community continues to grow there is always going to be a need for something like this,” Botha said. “We were very encouraged by the support we received last year and we look forward to an even better haul this year.”

Anyone who is interested in contributing items can do so by visiting the Medicine Shoppe in Prince Albert.

Accepted items range from any sort of male toiletry to items such as socks, underwear, candies, clothing or any other small personal items.

“People can contact myself or Conrad Burns if they want to get involved,” Botha said. “My number is 306-980-5387 and anyone who wants to get involved can call me at any time. We just want to thank everyone involved so far, and we look forward to the continued success of this program.”

 

Brady.bateman@jpbg.ca

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