It's better to give than to receive
Happy Holidays to you and all your family and friends.
Whether the 'reason for the season', is a nativity scene, advent wreath and Christmas hymns on top of your holiday list; or singing carols about Kris Kringle and watching Alastair Sim in a Dickens classic are the ornaments of your season -- it can always be said that many important charities are in place to help those in need with festive food and presents wrapped in colourful paper for the kids.
Often, I like to give extra promotion and recognition to groups requesting donations which I have a closer connection to, which is why The Christmas Place (Operation Sharing; www.operationsharing.ca) and Salvation Army are the stars atop my evergreen.
I've been a member of the Lions Club of Woodstock for about 20 years and we play the role of elves for the Christmas Place annually by delivering their materials from storage and then after the event returning them to Santa's secret hideaway a few days later. It goes along with the Lions motto 'We Serve', and Peter and Carole Ewing are dedicated volunteers pulling together all the boughs and ribbons on this particular effort.
This year, the Christmas Place is combining its 'wish list' with the Salvation Army (519 539-9345). You can call it one-stop shopping or you can realize it's best practices that these two organizations combine their toy collections and food drive under one Santa work shop roof -- and that location for The Christmas Place is Huron Park Baptist Church on Berwick Street.
Operation Sharing continues its dedication to The Inn (Old St Paul's Church with its 55 over night beds), and at College Ave church (Wilson and Peel) with programs ranging from the Sharing Table (lunch meals) to Coats For Kids, Food For Friends (public's monetary donations at food store cash registers), and wrap-around services for homeless.
The charitable group Cycles Of Life is also an affiliate, and support is received from countless companies, grocery stores, and individuals and the United Way of Oxford.
Salvation Army at 769 Juliana continues with many of its collection projects, and certainly is heard every December with its kettle campaign at various local retail outlets. The monies you donate in Woodstock are for Oxford County services. I have volunteered many times in this capacity and there's an ad her to help you join the kettle brigade.
A big Santa Ron thank-you goes out to Heart FM for its annual stuff-the-bus promotion and many many groups bring in donations such as the Woodstock Fire Department.
Like the song says: 'It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year', (Andy Williams, 1962) and it should be for everyone.
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OTHER IMPORTANT GROUPS -- THINKING OF OTHERS
There are at least 3 other associations which should be promoted.
At 887 Dufferin Street you will find the Family Church (519 533-1777), which is accepting items for its 'toys for tots' for what they call Harbour House.
Harbour House is gathering up new unwrapped toys, but also invite the donation of gently used toys for small children and baby items. The actual Toy & Tot event is Dec. 17.
The Family Church is hosting a Christmas Dinner on Dec. 22 at 5 p.m.
Another group to consider is the church Increasing Faith Fellowship (519 539-3179) at 50 Finkle as they coordinate an on-going Clothes Closet year-round accept donations.
There is also the Hunter Weston memorial toy drive and collection.
I'm sure this is just a partial list of charities to support around Christmas. This is also the season for shopping local, visiting church bazaars and craft shows, watching parades, enjoying turkey dinner, and simply being kind.
May you have a great holiday season and a wonderful 2025.
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