West Shore community demonstrates generosity with food, gift donations

With help from a volunteer Langford firefighter, Guy Brisbois unloads bags of donated food packed into his pickup truck. ItB次元官网网址檚 his third run of the day.

The goods are carted into the Christmas hamper headquarters, as food boxes are carted out past a lineup of patient people, a seemingly ceaseless conveyor of Christmas cheer coming out of the Langford Legion basement.

B次元官网网址淭he community is very generous,B次元官网网址� remarks Brisbois, the fire chief of Highlands. B次元官网网址淭he generosity gets bigger and bigger every year.B次元官网网址�

Highlands firefighters collected the food during that communityB次元官网网址檚 fire department Santa run on Sunday. ItB次元官网网址檚 one of a long list of donations B次元官网网址� West Shore Christmas Hamper shelves are jammed packed after scores of food, toy and cash donations from citizens, businesses, school kids, and church and community groups.

Paul Patrick says this might be one of the most successful hamper drives in his 13 years of being volunteer treasurer of Christmas hamper fund. This year thereB次元官网网址檚 enough funds to bump up the dollar amount for meat vouchers, and for teens to get gift cards.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got way more groceries this year. I donB次元官网网址檛 think IB次元官网网址檝e ever seen so many. TheyB次元官网网址檙e coming out of our ears,B次元官网网址� Patrick says. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never seen a more generous community.B次元官网网址�

Indeed, the shelves are stocked with rows of non-perishables. Toys and candy line a storeroom as if it were the warehouse of Santa Claus himself. B次元官网网址淵ou can see the generosity of the West Shore people,B次元官网网址� Patrick says. B次元官网网址淎nd all the volunteers deserve accolades. Without them weB次元官网网址檇 never be able to get this going.B次元官网网址�

Volunteer Walter Dubeau took the week off work as a navy fleet diver in Colwood to load food and run errands for the hamper fund.

B次元官网网址淗elping the community is a good feeling. This is a time when people need help, and weB次元官网网址檙e able to provide it for them,B次元官网网址� said Dubeau, who helped organize the fleet dive unit B次元官网网址淭urkey RunB次元官网网址� in early December, which raised $17,200 for the hamper fund.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 amazing the number of people who volunteer here. We deliver (hundreds) of hampers, and it takes a lot of background work to do that.B次元官网网址�

Volunteers expected to distribute 125 hampers on Tuesday, as a steady stream of people lined up outside hamper headquarters. In all, the annual effort will distribute at least 620 hampers to individuals, families and children from the West Shore. West Shore businesses, groups and agencies assembled at least another 40 hampers.

For most recipients, food and gift hampers ease the stress and expense of the Christmas season. Many are for people on fixed incomes or who are under-employed B次元官网网址� the donation means theyB次元官网网址檙e not forced to choose between rent and buying gifts for their kids.

B次元官网网址淭here wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be a Christmas without this place,B次元官网网址� Angela Dupuis, 22, who moved to Langford from London, Ont., in July with her boyfriend Daniel Roden. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been off work. ItB次元官网网址檚 been tough.B次元官网网址�

Vickie Semenoff said community generosity, such as the food hampers and the Our Lady of the Rosary church Christmas dinner, make a big difference in peopleB次元官网网址檚 lives.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great the food bank is here for us. Some days IB次元官网网址檝e cried my eyes out because thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing in the cupboards,B次元官网网址� Semenoff said while waiting in line on Tuesday. B次元官网网址淭his will help with a weeks worth of food. What they do here is amazing.B次元官网网址�

Amber Carnegie said she works part time and her husband toils seven days per week, but itB次元官网网址檚 still tough to keep their heads above water. The Christmas hamper eases the grind of daily life, and living in a tough economy.

B次元官网网址淪o many families are struggling. This is such an expensive (city). Families canB次元官网网址檛 survive,B次元官网网址� Carnegie said. B次元官网网址淭his makes Christmas beautiful. This allows us to have food on the table. I know my daughterB次元官网网址檚 Christmas will be a beautiful one.B次元官网网址�

Just getting by and little financial breathing room is a common theme among people receiving hampers. All are quick to thank the busy volunteers tirelessly assembling food bundles, and many remark how the food bank is generous, and needed, all year round.

B次元官网网址淓very little bit helps. The food bank helps make ends meet,B次元官网网址� said Judi Champion. B次元官网网址淟angford is lucky. TheyB次元官网网址檝e got a good one out here.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淟angford is a community that gives to the community,B次元官网网址� added Lynne Emery, 70, of View Royal, who lives on a government pension. B次元官网网址淭he hampers are the difference between just surviving and having a bit of fun.B次元官网网址�

Julia Gerrand, who accompanied her sister to pick up a hamper, said witnessing the constant stream of donations and the outpouring of giving is what the community is all about.

B次元官网网址淪eeing everyone come together like this is awesome. This helps a lot of people,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f everyone does a little bit, then everyone should have a merry Christmas.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com