The meaning of Christmas is a little bit different for everyone, and in a way, the holiday season is about figuring out that meaning for ourselves. We don’t claim to have the right answer – but we’re pretty sure that part of it is helping make sure some of Nanaimo’s less privileged children have something under the tree on Dec. 25.
With that in mind, the News Bulletin is proud to launch our annual Coins for Kids fundraising drive. We’re hoping community members will be kind enough to share some spare change, and we will ensure the money gets to the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Vancouver Island for their separate Christmas campaigns, both focused on benefiting kids.
Coins for Kids, which used to be Pennies for Presents, has collected $175,000 over the years for families that need a bit of help making Christmas morning a little more fun and exciting.
As always, the campaign is dependent on our volunteers Pete MacDonald and Ian Thorpe, who work with our Coins for Kids partners including Quality Foods, John’s Bedrooms and area schools. This is the time of year when the community is especially generous, but coins are actually collected year-round.
“Ian and I, what we do through the year, it doesn’t seem like much, but then you add it all up and that makes us feel pretty good,” MacDonald said.
Because the coins do add up. We get to see it – we have a donation jar here at the News Bulletin office at 777 Poplar St. and we love when a generous soul comes in and tips in the contents of a piggy bank. There are jars at all three Quality Foods locations and at John’s Bedrooms.
There is great need in our community, at Christmas time and all the other seasons. We hope there will be enough generosity to go around to help many people in many ways. And it would mean a lot if that includes Coins for Kids this Christmas.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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