In a warehouse right here in Squamish are more than 100 Christmas elves. And though they may not look like the elf on your shelf, they鈥檙e working just as hard as any in the North Pole.
These elves are all volunteers for Squamish鈥檚 Community Christmas Care, an organization that has helped the community since 1980.
Reverend Karen Millard from Squamish United Church is one of four pastors leading the drive. This is her fifth year being involved but her first as co-ordinator.
鈥淎s the pastors were talking about the other day, this is our busiest season鈥� but none of us would give this up for anything because it鈥檚 just such a gift to participate in,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful community effort.鈥�
It started, she explained, as a way to the combine the community鈥檚 efforts at Christmas and to create one central place for people to seek help this time of year.
Lisa McIntosh, who first volunteered with her children four or five years ago, explained, 鈥淓ven though we might not be directly connected to the vulnerable families in our community, they are here. You might not know them or see them, but they are here.鈥�
Throughout the year, Christmas Care has been accepting donations of toys, food and money to help create Christmas hampers for at least 420 local families and individuals. The big push to collect items began in mid-November.
鈥淎 large variety of people receive hampers. There are people who are homeless鈥� and some for whom the budget is really tight for and they could just really use some help,鈥� said Millard. 鈥淲e have singles, and this year a family of nine and a family of 13.鈥�
Inside the warehouse near the yacht club in downtown Squamish, the volunteers work like a well oiled machine. There are 73 different stations, each of which contains an item that goes into a hamper. While some oversee the stations or collect contents for the hampers, others assemble boxes, sort through toys, organize the applications coming in from families 鈥� or arrange refreshments, which are donated by local businesses.
There is no doubt that none of this could happen without the volunteers. 鈥淭he volunteers are essential,鈥� said Millard. 鈥淲e have people who count all of the food 鈥� see how many cans of tuna go into a hamper for a single person and how many go into a hamper for a family of five鈥�. We have people who organize and set up the tables and make sure everything is in the right place. You name it, there鈥檚 a task.鈥�
Drivers with vans arrive the following day, Dec. 16, to pick up and deliver the hampers.
鈥淪ome folks鈥� have probably been here every day for two weeks from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. And for about six people it鈥檚 pretty close to a full-time job for three weeks. Then there are others who just come for this day (the blitz on Dec. 17) about five hours 鈥� or for a couple of days,鈥� she said.
In addition to the volunteers, there are the many donors, who include individuals, businesses and organizations.
鈥淚t blows me away how giving this community is,鈥� says Millard. 鈥淲hen we did the McDonalds drive the other day, a whole kindergarten class came in and every child gave a gift. And then we had two little girls who, all year, had been collecting pop bottles. They cashed them in and got, I think, $600 worth of toys. Two little girls. It brought tears to my eyes.
鈥淭hey bring them in with this joy. Even one of the staff of Walmart came in with all these big stuffies and she was just overjoyed to be donating. From the businesses right down to the little children in the community. It鈥檚 a beautiful thing to see people offer in times of need.鈥�
Maureen Bradley, the volunteer depot coordinator, agreed. 鈥淲e鈥檝e just had a wonderful onslaught of gifts and giving. It鈥檚 so humbling.鈥�
When Bradley recently became unemployed, she approached a local minister asking how she could help the community. 鈥淚 was thinking food bank, soup kitchen. What could I do until January? He said, 鈥楳aureen, have I got a job for you!鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 truly been one of the greatest things I鈥檝e ever done,鈥� she said.
Beyond providing for local people in need, the Christmas Care experience also has an impact on its volunteers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely changed what I鈥檓 going to do next,鈥� said Bradley. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to contribute to somebody else鈥檚 bottom line but鈥� this really has been life-changing. It鈥檚 been a thrill.鈥�
Depot assistant Wendy Booth said, 鈥淚鈥檝e been volunteering for three of four years, ever since I retired. I have a lot of blessings in my life, so I鈥檓 really happy to be able to help.鈥� Over the weeks Booth has done everything from packing groceries to building boxes and calculating how much everyone gets.
Looking back on the time she鈥檚 given, Booth said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 count the hours I鈥檝e put in but I鈥檝e been coming every day for a few weeks, from 11 a.m. 鈥檛il 2 p.m. And yesterday we were here from 9 a.m. 鈥檛il 9 p.m. But I鈥檝e had so much fun.
鈥淢y favourite part is delivery day, seeing those hampers come together. I can just see that it鈥檚 going to make somebody鈥檚 Christmas to receive that.鈥�
If there鈥檚 just one tricky part each each year, it鈥檚 finding a depot, Millard said. 鈥淓very year that鈥檚 our biggest struggle. We can鈥檛 afford to buy a building so if there are folks out with a warehouse that they know next December will be empty, then we鈥檇 love a phone call. Because we need a lot of space!鈥�
It鈥檚 tea break now and some volunteers are trickling into the kitchen for coffee and cakes and to briefly take a load off their feet. Outside, though, nothing stops. There are still volunteers with shopping carts walking up and down the aisles of food, filling hampers as they go. There鈥檚 Christmas music, whistling, chattering and lots of laughter.
The hampers have been delivered, but it鈥檚 not too late to donate to Community Christmas Care. Please visit www.communitychristmascare.com for details on both how to give and how to volunteer.
