École Héritage high school students helped Smoky River FCSS put the Christmas hampers for the region together on Dec. 19. The students raised over $1,500 for the hampers this year. Each Christmas, École Héritage students donate their time to FCSS to help with the hampers, this year FCSS event coordinator Jean Moore says the need for hampers in the region has increased. She explains many of the hampers go to single families or to seniors in the region who feel the brunt of an economic recession.

Smoky River Family and Community Support Services (FCSS extend their gratitude to all those who donated to the Christmas Hampers last month. FCSS Director Penny Fox says each year the local communities donate a lot of items to make others’ Christmases a little merrier. “We look for cash donations, non-perishable food, or gifts for the children,” says Fox. Fox explains money donated was used to purchase many food items to be used not only on Christmas day, but for the entire week. “We have a whole list of items that we buy, including; ham, margarine, milk, Christmas oranges, carrots and juices,” Fox explains. “We want to make sure families have enough food to last them throughout the holiday week, not just Christmas day.” In mid December, FCSS received $400 from the Falher and Girouxville Caisse Horizon Credit Union branches. Fox says this money will go a long way to helping fill the Christmas hampers. They also received over $1,500 from École Héritage School that was used to fill more Christmas hampers. Each year, FCSS puts hamper depots at different locations around the region to ease the stress of the holiday season. FCSS event coordinator Jean Moore explains the need for donations to the hampers has risen due to a highly inflated economy. “Last year we distributed 101 hampers to people from around the region,” says Moore. “This food likely fed about 170 adults and 134 children, we are expecting a similar or elevated demand this year for the hampers.” This year there were drop-off centres at the Falher IDA Pharmacy, IGA, Fields, Falher and District CO-OP, Bargain Store, Credit Union, ATB, Routhier School and Heritage School. There were also drop-off centres in Girouxville at Credit Union and Crick’s Corner. Donnelly residents donated at Kan’s Corner, G.P. Vanier School or the Catholic Church, and McLennan residents could donate at IDA Pharmacy or Lakeview Foods. Christmas Hamper pick-up stations were held on Dec. 20 at both the Chevaliers Centre in Falher and the Legion Hall in McLennan. Moore explains families in need were responsible for the pick-up of their hampers at those locations. “We are well aware this year it was tough to give to the food hamper,” explains Moore, who says she recognizes the cost of items and a slight recession in the economy has made purses a little tighter. Moore says donations are welcomed throughout the year at the FCSS office in the Town of Falher building or individuals can call Jean or Penny at the office at 780-837-2220. More Christmas hamper information will be available in the next issue of the Express.