By Jasmine Franklin
Make it a challenge between friends and family to see how much can be donated to stuff this year’s buses in the third annual Ponoka Composite High School Stuff-A-Bus fundraiser.
“We are trying to provide for people who need it,” said Karen David, organizer and PCHS staff member. “For a lot of people it’s a hard time financially around Christmas.”
Stuff-a-Bus for Santa’s Anonymous is not associated with the food bank. What the campaign and high schools aim to do is make food and gift hampers to deliver to low income families with children who need a bit of extra support around the holidays.
It begins Nov. 30 at Extra Foods where a bus will be parked in front of the store. Participants are asked to donate any food or gifts possible while the goal remains to fill the bus. The campaign will also continue at Extra Foods and Hamilton’s IGA Dec.1 from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Donations for the project are also accepted at schools and businesses where boxes will be set out.
“At the school level you see kids and families in need,” David said. “We are here to provide help.”
After the food is collected, it takes about one week to get everything in order. Volunteers and kids get together to assemble food and gift hampers.
There are two sizes of hampers: a single hamper contains an apple box filled with goodies, and a family-sized hamper contains a banana box. In the boxes are foods such as breakfast cereal, pasta, soup, crackers. Small hampers receive a ham, while large hampers receive a turkey accompanied with a roasting pan, stuffing and cranberry jelly.
The hampers will be delivered Dec. 16 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.