Strong support for Christmas Hamper Society appreciated, but more is needed

Last weekend the 104.5 More Country team was at Canadian Tire for the annual Christmas Hamper Days toy drive for the Strathmore and Wheatland Christmas Hamper Society (SWCHS), and the community once again delivered with a strong showing of support!

In addition to all the toys and other goods donated, $2600 was also collected! Several large donations played a big role in helping the 104.5 More Country team collect as much as it did, including:

• M&M Pumps: $1000 donated in Sobeys gift cards
• Service Force Towing: $300 cash
• Reps of Remax/Key: $400 cash
• Strathmore Handi-bus employees: $250 cash
• PJ's Diner donated pies, cookies, and cinnamon buns which were available for a cash donation, which resulted in total donations of $650 
• Strathmore Value Drug Mart: 5 large baskets full of toys and other goods
• Strathmore Motor Products: large food donation

All the toys and food collected from this year's 104.5 More Country Christmas Hamper Days toy and food drive for the SWCHS

Fundraising Coordinator for SWCHS Lynn Thurston is grateful for all the community support, including the toy and food drive done by the Wheatland Kings on November 26th.

"The last couple of hockey games we were at, it was overwhelming. The things that were brought in by families, it was very rewarding. People were donating lots of cash, people were walking in with bags and boxes of stuff, it was amazing," she said.

Even though it's been a strong showing of support so far, Thurston says the rush is just getting started as the society prepares to collect as much as possible to help those in need.

"We need pretty much everything, the hamper has certain items that we use to fill the hampers, and on December third we will be passing out mini posters, a wish list of all the items listed on there that we require. So toys and food a sort of donation blitz day."

The Wish List for the Christmas Hamper Society

On Dec. 3 the Christmas Hamper Society will be hard at work at Co-op, Sobeys, No Frills, and Canadian Tire, where two hockey teams and two ringette teams will be stationed to help collect donations. This is their blitz day, where they're going all in to collect as much as possible! Outside of the blitz day, the campaign runs until Dec. 13, with donation boxes at 104.5 More Country, the Town of Strathmore, and other local businesses including the 4 noted above who will be taking part on Dec. 3.

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