By Lissa Alexander
Betty said that when her husband was alive, she had it easy.
B次元官网网址淗e passed away two years ago, so now I have to pay all the bills and everything and itB次元官网网址檚 just very hard,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just a juggling act, pay one and the others are left behind.B次元官网网址�
Betty (her name has been changed to protect her identity) is 86, and in her younger years she was an SOS volunteer, driving residents to medical appointments. Now on a fixed income, she is accessing the mid-IslandB次元官网网址檚 SOS Caring for Community at Christmas program which will provide her with a grocery store gift card, and sheB次元官网网址檒l be able to go through the SOS Toy Shop to select gifts for her great-grandchildren.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been thinking and thinking and racking my brain, how am I going to get some gifts? What am I going to do here?B次元官网网址� she explained. Her grandchildren, who are grown, donB次元官网网址檛 expect anything, she said, but she really wanted to be able to get something for her three great-grandchildren who sheB次元官网网址檒l see over the Christmas holidays. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when she found out that the SOS Christmas program can help her with both food and gifts.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just so thankful,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪OS is so helpful, itB次元官网网址檚 so good for the community.B次元官网网址�
The SOS Christmas program is available to all District 69 residents (Nanoose Bay to Bowser) who need extra support providing gifts for children, and putting food in the cupboards. The program provides a special gift for children and youth so they can find something special under the tree Christmas morning, and families and individuals receive grocery store gift cards, so they can choose food that is important to them over the holidays.
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Anna and her husband have two children and theyB次元官网网址檝e been accessing the SOS Christmas program for several years (her name has been changed to protect her identity). AnnaB次元官网网址檚 husband is disabled and canB次元官网网址檛 work, and her childrenB次元官网网址檚 birthdays are both in December, so itB次元官网网址檚 a difficult month, she said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to get it all together and keep a smile on their faces even though you canB次元官网网址檛 afford it,B次元官网网址� she said.
Anna remembers all the wonderful gifts sheB次元官网网址檚 been able to find in the SOS Toy Shop over the years, including Little Tikes toys, dollies and barbies. This year, sheB次元官网网址檚 hoping to find some sports equipment since her children are now 12 and 14. A bike would be her dream gift, she said, as thatB次元官网网址檚 something she doesnB次元官网网址檛 think sheB次元官网网址檒l ever be able to afford. The grocery store gift card her family received last year enabled them to get all the fixings for Christmas dinner.
B次元官网网址淲e wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have had those fixings without it,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淵our program means the world to us.B次元官网网址�
SOS wants to raise $200,000 this Christmas to meet the needs of everyone who registers for the program.
So far, the Christmas campaign has raised $176,762. To make a financial donation visit www.sosd69.com, call 250-248-2093 or drop in with a new, unwrapped gift or financial donation during business hours to the SOS Community Services Centre in Parksville. If you need extra support this Christmas, register for the SOS Christmas program at the SOS Community Services Centre Monday to Friday, 9:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 pm until Dec. 22.
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