Christmas Window

Salvation Army helps family

STARE at
Genevieve
)% Johnson when
Ra she’s out with
her family. She’s used to that .
and it doesn’t bother her.

What. does upset her is the at-
titude that, in this day and
age, having eight children —
Particularly when you’re a
single parent — is irresponsi-
bie.

“*} wasn’t single when the
kids were born,”’ she stresses.
“But when I was pregnant
with my last one, I discovered
my husband already had a
family elsewhere.’’

The marriage had had prob-
lems long before that. For
years Johnson had suffered
abuse from her husband. She
knew too that he was a drug
user. Now ‘hat the couple are
divorced, he pays no
maintenance towards the up-
bringing of his children. —

“‘All together, ! get $1,700 4
month,”’ says Johnson, who
knows from long-experience
exactly where each dollar goes:
$750 for rent, $144 for hydro,
$15 for phone'— it soon adds
up. : Ls
“I stretch my doliars,”’ she
says, ‘‘a local store lets me pay
on credit and I have milk
delivered so that I can pay
once a month.”

Christmas is coming, and
this year Johnson has decided
it’s going to be a good old-
fashioned one.

“It’s just us, and we'll doa
lot of crafts, bake gingerbread
houses, make saltdough things
and hopefully get a turkey.”

Helping her out will be the
Salvation Army's family ser-
vices department which, each
festive season, distributes
thousands of food vouchers to
those who need them.

This year, it’s needed more
than ever. ‘‘We can’t believe
how many.people we're see-
ing,’’ says the Army’s Erna

. Janzen. ‘*We had 320 waiting

the first day we took applica-
tions and the numbers. have

_ been constant ever since.

We're noticing a real rise in

* people who aren’t working.”

_ Understandably, Johnson is
one of those who does not
have a job. With eight kids
ranging in age from 12 down
to one-year-old Michael, her

‘time is stretched as much as

her budget.

You have to clean, shop
and feed them, and take them
to school. From the time I
wake up at 6 a.m. to the time
I go to sleep, I’m working.
Then I dream about what I -
have to do the next day.’’

Sometimes she’s up as late
as 3.a,m. — the nights she has
homework to do. ‘I’m on

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automatic pilot next day.’’ On
top of her family respon-
sibilities, Johnson is currently
taking courses. Next year she
plans to take a drafting course.

“I’m poverty-stricken but
proud,’’ she says. ‘‘You can’t
expect the system to do it all
for you. My kids are growing
up. My goal is to get a job and
then just enjoy life and my
family. Just to finally be
myself. You must always stay
positive.”’ .

Staying positive will be dif-
ficult for many this Christmas,
Janzen, the Salvation Army’s
senior social worker, points
out, “‘It’s the worst time. We
see sO many people who are
trying to get work and can’t.
There just isn’t anything out
there.””

The Salvation Army family
services is just one of the many
community services funded
each year by the Salvation
Army.

Piease make a contribution
to the Salvation Army. Giving
is the best of all possible gifts.
Mail your donation to Suite
611, 198 West Hastings St.,
Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1H2.

_ Call 681-9311 for more in-

formation.

Families helped by the
Salvation Army live all over
Greater Vancouver, including
on the North Shore.

Sunday, December 13, 1992 - North Shore News - 27

This Christmas, the Vancouver
Aquarium leads you to the stars!
Make a holiday splash with
childrens’ entertainers, festive
crafts and lots of celebrating
daily Dec 19 to 31!

Discover our NEW EXHIBIT
Stanley Park's Shores, opened
Dec 4th, and get in touch with
the real stars- Sea Stars. They're
bright, they're beautiful, they're
our Christmas Stars!

Remember the Clamshell Gift
Shop for the finest gifts! Bring
this ad to the Clamshell before
Dec 24/92 and receive a baby
beluga plush toy FREE with your
minimum purchase of $50.00

(a $5.95 value). The Clamshell

is open for late-night shopping
Dec 16, 17, 18, 21, 22. Browse
and enjoy a hot mulled cider.

December 16th is Free Day- our
gift to you! Open {Gam to 9pm.

Food Bank Coniributions
Gratefully Accepted. -

CALL 682-1118 FoR DETAILS!
Open noon-5pm Christmas
t & New Years Day

"BEST FISHES" FROM ALL YOUR FRIENDS AT

THE VANCOUVER AQUARIUM

in beautiful Stanley Park!

Thanks for supporting the Vancouver Aquarium-
& non-profit society that's part of the environmental solution.

Each Sunday, from November 22 to
December 27 we are publishing “Christmas
Windows”. We'd like your help to make these
special features more community invoived.
Please ask your children to send us their
letters to Santa for publication. Of course,
we'll make sure Santa gets all those letters
we receive. Pictures are welcome too.

You could win a Christmas turkey! Send your:
letters and pictures along with your name,
age, address and phone number before
December 21 to:

Dear Santa,
1139 Lonsdale Avenue
North Vancouver B.C. V7M 2H4

THE VINCE OF NORTH AND WEST WANCOUVER:

‘north shore’

1 SUNDAY - WEDNESOAY - FRIDAY