The Cochrane and Area Events Society’s (CAES) plans to test the limits of the giving season with the return of their annual Stuff-a-Bus campaign on Dec. 7.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., guests can make donations to buses parked outside of the Canadian Tire in the Quarry Shopping Centre.
CAES secretary Erika Richards explained that the event aims to support the Cochrane Activettes’ "Share Your Christmas Hamper" Program.
“There will be a Southland and a COLT bus, and the Activettes will be collecting donations like new, unwrapped gifts for kids and teenagers, non-perishable food items, gift cards, cash, and all kinds of things," Richards said.
For everyone who makes a donation, Richards adds that they will have the chance to take a photo with Santa in the Canadian Tire’s automotive waiting room. To secure a spot for a photo, Richards said they can book their slot by visiting www.cochraneevents.ca.
“This year’s theme is Santa’s Workshop,” she explained. “We’re trying to get some vintage tools, and we’re trying to find the right Carhartt apron for Santa, so it should be lots of fun.”
Richards said she looks forward to the event, adding that it will be a great time for kids.
“It’s wonderful and it’s what Christmas is supposed to be about,” she said. “You can feel that sense of Christmas spirit there, and everyone get involved in it.”
As with previous years, CAES volunteers will be attending the Calgary Hitman’s Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 1, to help bring some stuffies back to the community.
This year’s Erika hopes to break records with donations, and try to find an answer to a question that she was recently asked.
“Somebody asked me – what would you do if you had too many toys to have to fit in that bus,” Richards said. “And I said that I didn’t know. So, there’s a challenge; let’s make this Cochrane’s most giving year yet.”
