Caledon answers the call to give at the holidays
By Alan Liczyk Anneleen Naudts and Bill Rea

The spirit of giving takes many forms this time of year, and Dave Talta, talk show host on radio station CIAO 530 AM; Raj Cheema of A 1 Meat Shop in Brampton and Avtar Jandu made a major contribution last week to the Caledon Community Services Santa Fund, in the form of 200 chickens. Community Services Manager Jo-Anna Lenz was on hand to accept the contribution. Photo by Anneleen Naudts

With the holidays upon us, the urge to give is very strong.

And it's heartening to report that many residents, groups and organizations within Caledon have answered the giving call this year.

Numerous efforts have been started throughout the community.

Probably the biggest one has been the annual Santa Fund, run once again by Caledon Community Services (CCS).

Jo-Anne Lenz, community services manager for CCS, announced Friday that this year's effort was "extremely successful."

"Very generous community," she added. "Amazing volunteers."

Lenz said there were about 50 volunteers from the community who pitched in this year. "We really couldn't have done it without them," she remarked.

As well, CCS held a Family Day for the first time Dec. 1. It saw some 65 people of all ages show up at the Presidents' Building at the Albion - Bolton Fairgrounds (where the Santa Fund warehouse was) to sort the donated food and other items..

"It was so much fun that we'll do it again next year," she declared.

All told, more than 200 families, from all over Caledon, were assisted in this year's Santa Fund.

The schools in Caledon have shown they are a caring lot as seen by their charitable efforts this holiday season.

Alloa Public School had three classes sponsor three families for Christmas through the Children's Aid Society, according to Educational Resource Facilitator Dianne Keough. The school also organized a food bank for the Salvation Army.

"We have lots and lots of food," Keough said.

Alloa also had a tree for donations of hats, mittens and scarves, and it supported a women's shelter on Highway 10. The staff supported Toys For Tots. The intermediate pupils held a four-on-four charity basketball tournament Dec. 10 which raised $100 for the Make AWish Foundation.

Alton Public School organized a food and toy drive supporting CCS, said Head Secretary Sharon Locke. It also collected used clothing for the Help Children Stay Warm This Winter program. Items such as coats, hats, gloves, mittens and scarves were picked up by Peel school board social worker Martha Brunet.

Belfountain Public School collected canned goods and unwrapped toys for CCS, said Head Secretary Renee Thomas. It also had new and used coats, jackets, hats and mittens picked up by Brunet.

Caledon Central Public School set up its annual Santa Express, where pupils filled boxes in support of the Salvation Army and Orangeville Food Bank, said Principal Donalda Barlow. As well, the primary, junior and intermediate divisions supported Share The Joy which sponsors families in different communities.

Caledon East Public School's student council organized a food drive, said Grade 1 teacher Kim Beardwood, who helps run the student council. The pupils brought in food each day. In each class, if a pupil brought in food item that person's name would go into a draw with a draw winner from each class getting a treat. Beardwood also noted retired teacher Sue Harnett recently gave a presentation to the Grade 1 and 2 pupils about her trip to Malawi in Africa. The pupils gave a book and a loonie for the children in Malawi. As well, Grade 8 teacher Cindy Bourque had her pupils make ornaments for the seniors at the Avalon Retirement Centre in Orangeville.

Credit View Public School Principal Mariann Miller noted their pupils put items such as chocolate, coffee, family entertainment, games and toiletries into baskets and they sold raffle tickets raising $1,000 for an adopted family through the Share The Joy Adopt-A-Family. The school also held a draw for community members at its holiday celebration called So You Think You Can Prance.

Ellwood Memorial Public School's major fund-raiser is supporting Sleeping Children Around The World, said Principal John Stegeman. This effort will help 50 families in many countries in Africa. The school's families donated money toward the purchase of kits which include blankets, uniforms, mattresses and mosquito nets. The Rotary Club of Bolton will match the number of kits raised by the school.

Herb Campbell Public School supported Share The Joy, which helped three families through CCS, reported Principal Susan Whaley. As well, a food drive was held in all classrooms. The school also held candy cane sales to help foster children in Third World countries, plus it had a candy cane Christmas tree, where toys were given for needy children.

Holy Family School in Bolton supported CCS, said Principal Nancy Godfrey. The school collected new unwrapped toys, brand new knitted items, hats, mittens, scarves and socks. Every class also did a Silver Bells collection, which included donations of nickels, dimes, quarters, loonies and twonies to be dropped off at CCS. One of the Grade 7 classes organized an effort to support Operation Christmas Child. Every pupil filled a shoebox with hygiene items, pencils, pens to go to needy children in needy countries.

James Bolton Public School, for a third year, held a clothing drive for Woburn School in Scarborough through the Kids Sharing Network, said Principal Joy Uniac. Woburn has many new immigrant children, she explained. They were given boots, coats, mittens and snow suits.

"It's a really wonderful drive," Uniac said.

James Bolton also supported CCS by collecting boxes of food, games and toys. They were trying to have the collection done in time for their parent-teacher interviews in early December.

Macville Public School has held a number of events to support the United Way and CCS, said teacher Lorraine Lapp. The pupils set up and ran a bake sale and book sale. The pupils and teachers of the junior communication program organized a balloon pop, plus they did the "Gifts in a Jar," which included recipes in a mason jar (add liquids and bake). A mitten tree was supported by the Macville community with donations of mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, etc. The school community also supported a food drive. CCS will distribute the collection of clothing and food to families in the community. A raffle draw for prizes/gifts, etc. raised money for the United Way and CCS.

Palgrave Public School held a food drive to support the CCS Santa Fund, said acting principal Laurie Johnson. About 3,000 food items were collected from families in the neighbourhood.

"It went right out to the door," Johnson said of the massive amount which filled two huge truck loads.

The food drive was organized by teacher Amanda McGuire's Grade 1/2 class and teacher Meghan Deimling's Grade 2/3 class.

Palgrave also did a mitten tree, which included the donation of toys.

Pope John Paul II School in Bolton set up a Giving Tree for gifts to be placed under, said Head Secretary Ann Bourgeau. She added a sock drive was held where parents donated socks. The Grade 7 and 8 pupils selected families they were going to give Christmas gifts to. The school also forwarded cheques to the CCS Help With Heat program, which assists families who can't pay the heating bills in their homes.

St. Cornelius School in Caledon East had each class do gift baskets for the needy, said Head Secretary Kerri Majetic. A toy and food drive was held. The parent council donated a fresh turkey or ham for each of the baskets. The baskets were picked up by CCS.

St. John the Baptist School held a toy drive for CCS, said Head Secretary Louise Grant. The pupils also organized a food drive. There was also a Giving Tree set up for donations of hats, mittens and scarves.

St. Nicholas School worked with Samaritan's Purse, said Head Secretary Cathy Fay. As part of Operation Christmas Child, the school collected 131 Christmas boxes for needy children. The boxes included toys, activity books, crayons, pencils, candy, toothpaste and toiletries. The school also raised $400 for the cost of shipping and handling of the boxes.

St. Patrick School carried out two charitable outreach projects, said Principal Eric Fischer. One was a non-perishable food drive with the food going to support Christmas food hampers through the St. Vincent dePaul Society. The other project saw the Grade 1 and 2 classes spearhead a toy drive to support children in need at the Brampton Civic Hospital.

Allan Drive Middle School held a food and toy drive with the items going to CCS, said Vice-principal Richard Ward. All the classes in the school from Grades 6 through 8 were involved.

Humberview Secondary School's Student Activity Council held a coat drive and a toy drive, said Head Secretary Jeanne McLeod.

Mayfield Secondary School held a toy and money drive, said Student Activity Council President Jayme Corcoran. The whole school was involved and donated 160 toys to be distributed to the Salvation Army. It also raised $1,558 to buy grocery cards for the Children's Aid Society.

Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School supported a few causes. The main coordinator was Chaplain Brenda Holtkamp. Religion Department Head Gary Connolly explained all the students were involved in a food drive. Each student was asked to bring in five food items hoping to reach a total of 8,000 to 9,000 products. The donations go to the Orangeville Food Bank.

Connolly added each year Robert F. Hall does a sock drive for the Good Shepherd Refuge Centre, a men's hostel in Toronto. Every third Thursday of the month Connolly and eight students go there to serve.

The school also did gift baskets for needy families. They support one local family, either in Caledon or Orangeville, and they support 25 to 30 families through Romero House, a refugee establishment in Toronto.

Amid the holiday shopping craze, Caledon churches have been making sure the true meaning of giving has not been forgotten either.

By collecting toys, warm clothing and food items, Bolton United Church and Trinity Anglican Church in Campbell's Cross made contributions to the CCS Santa Fund.

At St. James' Anglican Church in Caledon East, an advent tree initiative focussed on bringing the gifts of "warmth" (donations of scarves, hats and mittens), "joy" (toys for the Santa Fund) and "food" (for CHOICES Youth Centre in Orangeville) to the community, Ruth Sowrey, church secretary, reported. The church also held a penny drive.

Knox United Church in Caledon village held a White Gift Sunday in early advent. The church handed over the gifts to Oliver House, a supportive housing program for community residents with psychiatric problems, memory impairment or affective brain disorders.

The people at Christ Church Anglican in Bolton contributed gifts to the CCS Santa Fund. In addition, children could do their part by turning to their piggy banks for spare change for a penny drive. The church also donated gifts and clothing articles to Youth Without Shelter. Since supplies at food banks tend to dwindle in off-peak months, Rev. Gregory Symmes said he'll be seeking opportunities to collect food items in the new year

At Bolton Alliance Church, a wreath-making workshop took place Dec. 2. At $10 per wreath, Pastor Gerard Barabash stated he was glad to make a financial donation to the Santa Fund.

Through a White Gift Sunday, Mayfield United Church further boosted the Santa Fund with their collection of unwrapped toys and gifts, said Church Secretary Marlene Mallinen.

The Caven Presbyterian Church in Bolton put together Christmas Shoe Boxes for Operation Christmas Child. This organization shipped the boxes to South America where they were donated to children of all ages.

Caledon East United Church held White Gift Sundays for Advent from Dec. 2 to 16. Office Administrator Helga D'Arolficommented the church encouraged people to bring canned and non-perishable food items for a food bank.

Cheltenham Baptist Church also launched a White Gifts Sunday initiative. This year, the church tended to the needs of two local families. Pastor Wayne Melnechuk made the giving easy by compiling a list of items the families requested. The list allowed people to select the food items or presents to buy, and making financial donations remained an option.

The church youth group did its part by shopping for anyone accessibility difficulties, wrapping gifts, and delivering the offerings to the families.