The holiday season is traditionally a time for people to step up and share with those less fortunate, and many in the Caledon community did just that this year.

Local schools were active when it came to collecting food, toys and other useful items, as were churches, service groups, businesses and individuals.

And they found plenty of agencies they could direct their efforts toward.

Many supported the annual Santa Fund, run by Caledon Community Services (CCS).

The project was again run out of the Presidents Building at the Bolton Fairgrounds (courtesy of the Albion and Bolton Agricultural Society). Warehouse Lead Tracy Clifford said the fund was supporting a little more than 200 families. In the days just before Christmas, she said 1,361 boxes had been put together, and more donations were coming in (that day, staff members from Husky Injection Molding Systems in Bolton showed up with five Mini Coopers and one Fiat 500 loaded with contributions).

“We always need more gift certificates for teenagers,” she remarked.

Fiona Ott, director of fundraising and communications for CCS, said contributions were being received right up until New Year’s Eve.

“It’s a good-news, bad-news story,” she commented, pointing out donations are up over last year, but there’s a record number of families in need.

She added the goal is to make sure every need is met in the community.

As well, Caledon OPP supplied cars for students at three local schools to fill with donated toys and food items. Constable Jonathan Beckett said they ended up with about 20 carloads in the Cram the Cruiser effort, as he praised the fact it was spearheaded by the students.

“They’re the ones who do all the work,” he saids. “The kids really enjoy it.”

Several of the classes at Alloa Public School did their bit by supporting individual families through Holiday Wishes.

Head Secretary Susan Crowe reported 15 families were assisted through this effort.

As well, she said one of the teachers conducted an auction during a lunch period, with students to vote on which cause the proceeds would go toward.

In addition, she said a food drive was conducted in support of the Salvation Army, and a Mitten Tree, complete with mittens, hats and scarves, was set up for the Ste Louise Outreach Centre of Peel.

Belfountain Public School adopted two local families to help out over the holidays, according to teacher Jennifer Evans.

Credit View Public School was one of the schools supporting the CCS Santa Fund.

As well, Principal Mariann Miller said the school also adopted a family recommended by the social workers in the Peel District School Board, and held a toy drive for Toy Mountain.

The people at Caledon East Public School, led by members of the Student Parliament, conducted a food drive for CCS, according to Principal Laurie Allison.

In addition, she said the staff took part in the Share the Joy program through the school board and sponsored a family.

“That’s the first year we’ve ever done it,” she said. “It was awesome; pretty spectacular.”

Alton Public School had a toy and food drive, as well as a Mitten Tree, all in aid of CCS.

“We did pretty well for such a small school,” commented Office Manager Sharon Locke.

Ellwood Memorial Public School in Bolton pitched in too. Principal John Stegeman said some 1,500 cans of food were contributed to CCS. He also said the school assembled 67 bed kits to go to Sleeping Children Around the World. As well, the school sponsored a local family in need.

Herb Campbell Public School set up a Candy Cane Tree and collected brand new toys for the needy, Vice-Principal Tina Middlebrook reported.

As well, the school again took part in the Cram the Cruiser program with Caledon OPP, filling eight police cars with toys and food.

“We always have tons of things on the go here,” she remarked.

Students and staff at James Bolton Public School did a huge food drive. Vice-Principal Gurmeet Gill said it was in support of the breakfast program at another school in Peel.

Teacher Louis Milliken reported staff and students at Macville Public School completed their United Way fundraising campaign, with $2,000 going to CCS. As well, students performed songs of the season for people living at the seniors’ residence on Glasgow Road in Bolton.

Students at Pope John Paul II Elementary School also performed for seniors before Christmas at the King Nursing Home.

“There’s been so many things going on,” School Secretary Ann Bourgeau commented. She said the school has been helping to support some local families. There was also a Mitten Tree, complete with hats and scarves. As well, there was a Giving Tree with hanging Teddy bears giving the details of a child in need, who students were to get something for. These goods were distributed through CCS, she said.

St. Cornelius Elementary School in Caledon East was another busy place, when it came to helping people over the Christmas season.

Vice-Principal Grace Graci reported they gathered contributions of food, clothing, hats, mittens, gloves, coats and Project Gift Boxes for several organizations, including Dr. Simone’s Canadian Food for Children, Sister’s of Mercy, Good Shepherd Ministries Men’s Shelter and Street Haven Women’s Shelter.

She added 130 family project gift boxes were collected, as well as a mountain of toys and a tree full of Hope, (hats, mittens and scarves) during December. “Bags and boxes of food engulfed the foyer around the beautiful donated tree, which filled the front of the school, and coats of all colours, and sizes burst from its base,” she said.

Principal Dan Lacute added student faith ambassadors at the school created family project gift boxes are to go to Third World families in Tupper ware containers (he said that’s because they can be reused). They contained “very basic hygiene products,” as well as little gifts.

St. John the Baptist Elementary School in Bolton also supported the efforts of CCS, but with a variation, according Vice-Principal Maria Clarof. Students and staff collected items for the Santa Fund, but with a focus this year on teenagers.

“They seem to be forgotten,” she observed. “We remember the little ones.”

As well, she said the school took part in Operation Christmas Child, collecting toys and parcels to be sent overseas.

The halls of St. Nicholas Elementary School in Bolton were filled in the days leading up to the Christmas break with blue bags. Some were to go to local families and others to families in Haiti, where rebuilding efforts from last January’s earthquake continue. School Secretary Cathy Fay said the items in the bags bound for Haiti included quilts fashioned from milk bags.

Teacher Joanne Armstrong added the school held a food drive to support six local families. In addition a van-load of food was delivered to the CCS Santa Fund.

Palgrave Public School was another that helped cram police cars. Principal Laurie Johnson reported they loaded up nine cars with food and toys, “one more than last year.”

She added they collected more than 150 gently-used coats, as well as mitts, and sent them to a school in a needy area of Brampton. “There were bags and bags and bags of mitts and hats and scarves and things like that.

As well, she said a couple of classes conducted collections for some local families in need, while others made contributions to Sleeping Children Around the World.

“It’s all helping others in need,” she observed.

Students at Caledon Central Public School were able to raise some $3,000 through doing chores at home, according to teacher Paula Civiero. The money was directed to the Share the Joy program.

She added the school adopted two families.

At Humberview Secondary School, the Grad Council collected 20 bags of coats and winter gear to go to the Peel Children’s Aid Society, according to school Budget Secretary Jennifer Malatesta.

As well, she said 108 students took part in the Nov. 26 Caledon Miracle, collecting some 3,000 units for that food drive.

“We’ve been doing lots of neat stuff,” declared Mayfield Secondary School Vice-Principal Gail Shotlander.

She said home rooms at the school collected some 2,400 items for the Salvation Army food drive. She also said the school library had a program in which fines could be forgiven with contributions of food items.

In addition, she said the school hosted about 400 local seniors for an afternoon of lunch and entertainment, with about 100 students serving them. “It was pretty exciting,” she said.

There was a lot of charity work going on at Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School in Caledon East.

Chaplain Brenda Holtkamp said the efforts included collecting more the 2,000 pairs of socks for the Good Shepherd Centres.

She also said the school adopted eight refugee families through Romero House.

As well, she said the staff Christmas party included people bringing toys for the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Orangeville.

CCS benefitted from the charitable efforts of students and staff at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Bolton.

Chaplain Urszula Cybulko reported classes collected food and clothing for the Santa Fund.

“There was a bit of a competition between the three grade levels,” she remarked, adding the Grade 9s won.

She added staff put together some Christmas baskets for Romero House, and also found some needy families locally to help out. One of those families has a child with lukemia, and Cybulko they are going to continue helping those people out.

“We want to go beyond Christmas and continue to support them as they face this issue in their life,” she said.

Students at King’s College organized a drive to bring Christmas to two families in need. Barb Lord said the raised more than $1,200 and “absolutely loved doing that.”

Students at Allan Drive Public School in Bolton made their contribution through the Cram the Cruiser program.