Strathmore Value Drug Mart donates thousands of dollars of toys to WCS

Christmas is only 9 days away, which has many families and kids all across our community excited to wake up on Christmas day and enjoy a morning of opening presents and fun. However, some families may not have the opportunity for this, but Strathmore Value Drug Mart (SVDM) is stepping up in a big way to help families enjoy the holiday season. 

SVDM owner Stacie Morck explained some families staying at the Wheatland Crisis Society (WCS) may not have presents or other Christmas items like ornaments, and to help make sure those families also enjoy Christmas SVDM is donating $2500 worth of toys and ornaments! On top of this, Morck added they'll be donating other basic necessities like toiletries.

"While they're here, we might as well make sure they're topped up on what they need," Morck said.

Morck added supporting the WCS was also personal to her, which motivated her to help even more.

"In my past I have had to use the shelter and I understand how hard that can be even just for asking for that help. So if there's anything I can contribute to somebody else making that step in that time of need, then I want to do it."

The toys came at the perfect time for the WCS, as WCS Business Development and Communications Specialist Natasha Fyfe said the shelter is very grateful to receive them in time for Christmas. While all donations are always greatly appreciated, she added it's special to see all the toys.

"Having a monetary donation is great because we can go out and we can buy things for the shelter that the shelter needs or for the clients' needs, but when specific items like toys or hygiene items are given to the shelter, it takes a little bit of stress off of the budget to spend the money on those things. It's great that the thinking has been done for us and that the toys have been well thought out and then provided straight to the shelter," Fyfe said.

The toy donation also works perfectly with their Adopt a Family program, where community members would volunteer to buy toys and items for families in need at the shelter.

"This donation of toys helps support that program, we can actually bolster that a little bit for the families to get a little bit more this Christmas because some families have five children, some families have two, so it's always nice to get extra toys and those kind of things in at this time of year so we can help bolster that program for our families."