The first planeload of toys touched down Tuesday at the Chilliwack Airport to make the season brighter for local families.

Victoria lawyer John-Andrew Pankiw-Petty started the B次元官网网址淪anta Flight Toy Drive for ChilliwackB次元官网网址� a couple of weeks ago after feeling compelled to help in the wake of catastrophic flooding.

B次元官网网址淲hen we found out some people were just trying to keep their cattle alive and their families safe, and that Christmas was the last thing on their minds, we knew we had to try to help,B次元官网网址� he said.

Toys, gifts and clothes were collected at the Victoria Flying Club to be flown out to Chilliwack on a series of B次元官网网址淪antaB次元官网网址� flights piloted by volunteers, after reaching out to Chilliwack Community Services (CCS) to set it up.

Shirley Triemstra, CCS fundraising co-ordinator, said she became Pankiw-PettyB次元官网网址檚 point of contact in Chilliwack, and was totally blown away by the toy drive effort he launched.

B次元官网网址淗e was just a guy who wanted to help. IB次元官网网址檝e been here five years and no one has ever flown in Christmas gift for kids,B次元官网网址� Triemstra said.

Volunteer pilots and members of the 700-strong Victoria Flying Club, as well as community donors from across Vancouver Island and Vancouver pitched in to the total of $3,000 worth of gifts and donations.

The gifts and toys will be shared with the Yarrow Food Hub, and Abbotsford Community Services, as well as CCS, added Triemstra.

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The first Santa flight to arrive in Chilliwack on Dec. 14 was thanks to pilot Ryan Enns, who flew them from Victoria in his two-seater kit plane to hand over the first small load of donated gifts.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got toys, toiletries, about $350 in gift cards, hats, kidsB次元官网网址� clothes, babiesB次元官网网址� clothes, stuffies, and one giant mermaid blanket,B次元官网网址� Pankiw-Petty said, listing the inventory of donations.

CCS officials were at the airport to greet the Santa flight pilots, including Triemstra, CCS executive director Diane Janzen, and executive assistant Julie Nickel.

Flying club put out the call for toys, and donated a flight to transport all the gifts to Chilliwack. That kicked off a stream of generosity from the larger community.

B次元官网网址淭he folks on Vancouver Island really felt connected to this project,B次元官网网址� Pankiw-Petty said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all one province. Everyone over there feels like theyB次元官网网址檙e going through it too, even though weB次元官网网址檙e not.B次元官网网址�

Many were eager to help.

B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 imagine what itB次元官网网址檚 like to go through what youB次元官网网址檙e going through out here. So when we asked people to help out, the response was incredible, from law firms and businesses downtown, to the Victoria Flying Club, and pilots.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淔olks in the neighbourhood started showing up at our house with toys and gifts, so it all has been pretty special.B次元官网网址�

There were contributions from the Victoria Flying Club, JPL Litigation, Sean Finn and staff at Jones Emery Hargraves Swan LLP, Digital Direct Printing, Garside Signs, and Pacific Sky Aviation.

A second flight is expected to bring over the remaining gifts and donations, but it was not known at press time when that would be.

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