Nothing chases the chill out of the bones and warms the heart during the winter months quite like kindness. For many people, this is the time they begin looking at ways of spreading a little cheer. At the beginning of fall, chiropractors, their clinics and their patients collected new sock donations from Lethbridge to Grand Prairie for our annual Toasty Toes Sock Drive.
They were not only successful in collecting these donations; they collected past the initial goal of 25,000 pairs to a total of 25,625. Donated to the United Way and Wood’s Home, these socks will go a long way in keeping Albertans experiencing homelessness warm. An additional bonus for participating clinics was the opportunity to win a $500 donation and blog spotlight for a charity of choice from the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors. This year’s winner is the Powers & Jans Centre in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
For the clinic team, choosing a charity was easy.
“The Santa Claus Fund has been making Christmas better for families in our community for over 30 years. They have shown to be good stewards of the donations they receive and are worthy of our support,” explained Dr. Jans.
The Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund is a cause the Powers & Jans Centre supports and keeps in mind every time winter rolls around.
“Every Christmas season, our office decides on a local charity to support. Because of their invaluable service, the Santa Claus Fund is always one of our prime considerations. In the past, we collected toys in the clinic, which is an activity our patients like to participate in. Other times, we went as a group to wrap and deliver gifts. We are happy to support them again this year with the donation prize we won.”
A $500 donation may not seem like a lot of money but for a family going through tough times, it can mean the difference between whether or not they can have a Christmas at all.
Deanna Doerksen, Executive Director of the Santa Claus Fund, puts it into context.
“Donations like this help us stock our shelves with toys and gifts and ensures there is holiday food on the table for our families. The donation from the chiropractic clinic will go towards our grocery voucher program, which allows all our local families have a hot Christmas meal.”
The Santa Claus Fund not only provides gifts and meals; they provide them in a way that gives families dignity.
“Christmas is a time for community, generosity and kindness. We want our participants to feel embraced by those values and the true ‘Spirit of Giving’,” explains Doerkson.
“Our Christmas operation is based out of a warehouse called the ‘Holiday Home’. Families come into the Holiday Home and apply for assistance, which is granted based on financial situation. Once approved, participants are then welcome to come in and choose gifts for their children. Each child receives 2 gifts, a book, a stuffed animal as well as a board game for families as we believe it is important for families to play together”
“Then, when the families leave, they leave with a voucher for the local grocery store so they can buy food for a Christmas meal.”
The Powers & Jans Centre will be visiting the Holiday Home themselves and are hoping others feel encouraged to support the Santa Claus Fund.
“If you have the ability to give a few dollars or volunteer your time, this is an organization that is worth supporting.” Dr. Jans says.
Thank you again, to all the chiropractors who participated in the Toasty Toes Sock Drive.
The Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors is proud to support this cause, as well as the hard work and community effort of chiropractors across Alberta.
The Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund accepts donations throughout the year and will be providing their Holiday Home services and crisis assistance throughout November and December.