The season of giving visited to two local social agencies in Kelowna this week.
A group of children hoisted the bags, boxes and bins of items that have been collected during the month of November at their school to be delivered just on this day.
On Tuesday, the Grade 2 students at Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School loaded donated books, toys and gently used children’s clothing into their school bus for a special trip.
“They were really excited and passionate about doing this,” says Leitha Cosentino, with Aberdeen Hall.
The Aberdeen Hall students chose to gather donations this year for the Kelowna Women’s Shelter.
“If you teach children to be good citizens when they’re little, they grow up to be good citizens,” says Cosentino. “It’s important for them to not only do good things at the school but also to do good things within the city and within the world.”
Across town on the same day, the Angels in the night were making a special delivery of their own to the Kelowna Gospel Mission.
“This is really special,” says Karl Heinitz, director of emergency services with the Mission.
The Angels are an organized national program at Invis Mortgage Brokers, who have been donating to charity across the country for nine years, five in Kelowna helping the Mission.
Invis’ Kelowna office raised more than $15,000, which they used to buy new winter clothing for the Mission.
“We’ve got an assortment of jackets, gloves, boots, blankets, sleeping bags, hats, scarves, you name it… underwear, undershirts, etc,” says Tony Kreutzer, Invis Regional Manager. “This is our way to give back to people that don’t have homes and could use a little bit of Christmas spirit and some help when they maybe down on their luck.”
“It’s going to make a big impact for a lot of the guys that are cold, that are just in need of really good stuff,” says Heinitz of the enormous donation. “This is really decent, this is really good.”
Kelowna Gospel Mission Executive Director Randy Benson says the donation of new items helps their client feel they have more self worth.
“It means that they’re not having to take second best,” says Benson. “So their gesture and their gifts and their support means a lot to the people that we serve.”
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