Chilliwack teenager partners with Sears to raise money for children of military personnel

More than 50 families around the province will have a loved one deployed over the holidays, and one Chilliwack teenager knows all too well what it is like to not have her dad around at Christmas.

Darrian Ryce’s father is a combat engineer and missed many milestones in her young life due to being deployed overseas.

This Christmas he will be home, but Ryce wanted to do something for other families who are missing a loved one. So she partnerd with Sears to launch Sears Operation Wish.

As part of this initiative, a percentage of money from sales of Nate, Sears 2013 plush bear, will be donated to the Canadian Association of Military Family Resource Centres for their youth programs.

Jenny Ryce, Darrian’s mother, says it can be very difficult for families. “At times it can be challenging, and at times it can be very lonely, but full of pride always because it’s very much a job of full sacrifice,” she says. “So we do everything we can to keep the fires burning at home, I know that’s a cliche but it’s true, and try to always make the holidays extra special and do everything we can to keep traditions going and sending lots of pictures and phone calls.”

Everyone is also invited to send well-wishes to the military by signing the cut-out of the Nate bear in the Sears at Brentwood Town Centre. Nate, once filled with signatures, will be posted to the Mainland BC MFRC facebook page as a symbol of the community’s support.

The large bear cut-out will be in the store for the public to sign from Dec. 15 to 20. The public is also encouraged to send holiday greetings to mainland B.C. military families on the Facebook page until Dec. 20 at 4 p.m.