Donors
respond to
need

Deana Lancaster

News Reporter
dlancaster@nsuews.com

IN the midst of the
crowd pressing, towards
the check-in table I see
her smiling. She’s
already spotted me.

We only had a few minutes
ther last week. [ was vol-
unteering in the | North
ncouver Christmas Bureau’s
oy Shop, and she came in to
choose itis for her teenage
daughter,

New to) Canada, her
English was limited, and it was
clear by the worry in her eves
that she didn't know what her
daughter might want

“You choose,” she told me.
Together we picked out a
trendy, rugged-looking red and
grey backpack; added a warm
hat and threw in some nail pol-

_ish-and hair products as stock-
ing stuffers, Like other Toy
Shop clients, she would then
take the gifts home, wrap them
and give them to her daughter
on Christmas Day.

We were both pleased with
the choices, and her gratitude
seemed as much for the help as
for the gifts themselves.

It was just a few minutes of
human contact — but it was a
flash of warmth { hadn’t forgotten.

Now it’s Tuesday evening and a frost-edged draft invades the
Lucas Centre gymnasium. With about 250 clients of the bureau
coming in to pick up their Christmas hampers, it makes more sense
to let them exit from the gymnasiums open side door, than have
them leave back through the line-up.

It’s so cold that our fingers fumble numbly with the paper-
work. The warmth of her smile is welcome.

It's even more appreciated because most of the people coming
through the door are not overflowing with the spirit of the season.
They are polite, and they are grateful for the help, but most want
to get checked in, find out which row their hamper is in, pick it up
and get out.

This is hard for them —- the majority of the bureau's clients are
not desperately poor, homeless or drug-addicted. They are peaple
who have fallen on hard tines, many are new to Canada or recent-
ly unemployed, Even asking for help so they can have a warm,
comfortable Christmas is difficult to face.

As volunteers we know this — and we know that with a differ-
ent twist of fate it could be us picking up a hamper, and one day it
very well might be. We recognize the quiet pride here, and humil-

‘and we don’t try to force eye contact or conversation.

” Besides, the line “Up at the check-in table. is enormous and
growing bigger every minute — other than rushed “Thank yous”
and the odd “Merry Christmas,” there really isn’t time tor chit

The pick-up runs from 5:30 until 8:30, but it seems most of the

rived carly, The line-up of families, single mothers and

men and women on their own for the holidays snakes from the

gymnasium entrance down the hall of the Lucas Centre. By the

end of che evening each of them will have left with boxes packed
full of food, gift certificates, tuys, gilts, plants and more.

The entire event is nothing, short ofa miracle of or ‘wanization.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas just a few staff members
— including coordinator Di
volunteers, have been matching donors to families in need.

First, recipients fill in an application and are screened to ensure
that they do in fact, need the assistance. The donor, whether it be
an individual, a family, a group of friends o finds out
how many people are in “their” famil ded and what
uifts are wished for, The donor also collects all the foodstuff and

ngs for a tasty Christmas dinner, plus cnough extra toad te

ure the family will be hunger-tree for a while.

“We a wonderful support, amazing support, from the com-
niunity,” Cowden. E ar, thousands of people donate
new, unwrapped toys for the Toy Shop, hamper donors sign up to
do their part, and during the holida on busin and orga:
nizations throughout the community raise funds for the bureau.
With that mot staff and volunteers can also make up ham-
pers. for. indi or whom they can’t tind a match. Donors
often want fo give to families with children, but many of the clients
are individuals — people who are widowed, people with special
needs.

On Tuesday, about 450 hampers were delivered to the centre
threughout the day. Every one of them was checked off labelled

North Shore individuals and organizations. Ti
bureau's clients to pick up.

na Cowden — and an assortment of

and placed in numerical order.

Now, about haif of these hampers will be picked up by their
recipients. As well as myself and another volunteer at the check-
in desk, there are about a dozen others — some are recording the
pick- ups, others are helping, carry and load the hampers inte cars.
Cowden is at her computer, troubleshooting when the oceasion-
al hamper is missing, or a client turns up that isn’t listed.

he exchange allows the re cipients to get their hampers in rel-
ative anonymity. For many of them, receiving hampers directly
from their donors would be too humiliating.

But among the low-profile crowd, there are those who do
stand out. One woman hands us a Christmas card at the table.

“This is for ali of you, for everything yvou’ve done. Thank
you.” ;

Another Te op customer smiles and winks at me — his son
is beside him. We had searched through an enormous box of
ketballs and footballs, until, right near the bottom we found
what he was looking for: a soccer ball. [ smiled back and greeted

Sunday, December 24, 2000 - North Shore News - 3

—— SUNDAY Focus ——

NEWS pheto Cindy Goodman

NORTH Vancouver Christmas Bureau coordinator Diana Cowden is at the hamper exchange showing off the astounding generosity of
he hampers — full of food and gifts — are sorted, labelled and placed in order for the

them as though Pd never met him before.

One woman’s purse has been stolen. It contained her forms
for the hamper pick-up, as well as all of her identification. She's
distraught.

“f had everything in there. [ve lost my
sadly. We send her over to Cowden, assuring
get the hamper that’s been packed for her.

The time flies and by 8:10 p.m., the line-up has dwindled to
a trickle. And then it’s over. Although many of the hampers are
gone, the room is still ‘fal of brightly wrapped cartons, plastic
tubs and boxes. The pick-up will continue on Wednesday.

As volunteers, we're left with mixed feelings. It doesn’t seem
like enough, somehow. For a few days these families, young
mothers and lonely individuals will bave food and a few presents
to brighten their spirits. In January, the struggle to make ends
meet will continue.

But then | remember that smile. Just a few minutes of human
contact, and it made a difference for both of us.

identity,”
zy hee that

she says
"Hl stall

NEWS S photo Paut MeGrath

TWELV year-old Morgan Wiebe is one of many Nerth Shore residents who volunteered i in the Toy Shop this
year, help ig Christmas bureau clients choose toys to take home and wrap up for thelr kids. ; os