HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-11-22, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2012.Christmas Bureau opens
Food Share to
collect at paradesHuron Hospice to
host Memory Tree
Her sister’s quilt
Blyth Legion member Donna Govier posed with a quilt
donated in memory of her sister, Comrade Bev Martin at
the Blyth Legion last week. The quilt was donated by
Martin’s children Paul, Karl and Jean. (Denny Scott photo)
THE EDITOR,
It’s almost Christmas and most
families are busy preparing for the
holidays. The Huron County
Christmas Bureau is again gearing
up to ensure that no child is
forgotten at Christmas. With the
support of Huron-Perth Children’s
Aid Society, volunteers are working
hard to provide over 1,000 children
with a Christmas made merry
through your generosity.
The Christmas Bureau is a county-
wide volunteer group that organizes
five gift centres (bureaus) that
distribute toys, clothing, food and
food vouchers to families in our
county whose parents are unable to
provide these items. There are a
number of ways that you can
participate in the 2012 Christmas
Bureau campaign. First, open your
heart and open your wallet. Please
donate new toys and clothing, non-
perishable food items or a financial
gift to the local bureau in your
community starting the week of
Dec. 3. Drop boxes are also located
throughout your community to help
you make your donation. Many
schools, churches, businesses,
service groups and social clubs
organize fund-raising events that
help in collecting donations so let’s
get creative this year.
Second, the gift centres (bureaus)
are located in local churches and the
members of these churches
volunteer many hours collecting,
sorting, organizing, displaying and
then helping the families choose
their children’s gifts. Perhaps you
would like to give the gift of time to
the church group in your
community. You could consider
organizing your neighbours, your
co-workers, your sports team, your
club to work together as a “Santa
group” and pitch in some time to
help out.
Third, if you are a custodial parent
and live in Huron County and need
help to make your Christmas merry
this year, call “Christmas Central” at
519-524-7356 x3271 or 1-800-265-
5198 x3271 from Monday to Friday
(Nov. 19 to Dec. 7). When you call,
be sure to have ready the ages and
clothing sizes of your children. You
will be given an appointment during
the week of Dec. 10 when you can
privately choose suitable gifts for
your family at the gift centre closest
to your home.
Our community’s needs are great
but the rewards are even greater –
the opportunity to share the true
meaning of Christmas by sharing the
joy of the season. A gift to a child is
a gift to yourself.
Bureau/gift centres are located in
Clinton – Clinton Christian
Reformed Church, 243 Princess St.
E.; Exeter – Precious Blood Catholic
Church, 200 Sanders St. W;
Goderich – Knox Presbyterian
Church, 9 Victoria St. N; Seaforth –
The Agriplex , 140 Duke St. (hosted
by Bethel Bible Church); Wingham
– St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church,
281 Josephine.
Thank you for your generosity.
Dixie Amerongen
Publicity Committee.
THE EDITOR,
The Christmas season is soon
upon us and many people seem to be
getting into the swing of the festive
season – excited and joyful, happy
and looking forward to family
gatherings, buying that special gift,
concerts, decorating trees and
dancing to the merry twinkle of
coloured lights. However, for those
of us who are grieving – trying to
deal with the loss of our loved one
seems to have taken the zap out of
us. We may be experiencing a sense
of anxiety, exhaustion, worry, be
overwhelmed … as to how we might
cope throughout this upcoming
season.
It is important to take care of your
needs during this ‘festive season’.
Maybe the traditional practices of
your family may need to be changed
– instead of feeling the pressures of
shopping, donate to a charity or help
someone else. Instead of the
traditional turkey dinner – how
about making it simpler. Remember,
this is a time to listen to your heart
and follow what is right for you. We
hope you do not isolate yourself as
that will increase your pain. Choose
people who you want to spend time
with – someone who won’t mind
some tears, some quiet moments…
someone who wants to talk
about the memories of your loved
one.
Huron Hospice is inviting you to
come to a ‘Memory Tree’ to
remember the loved one that is so
missed. This event is open to
anyone. We will invite you to put an
angel on the tree, enjoy some hot
cider and refreshments and take
home some ideas of how to help you
cope with this season.
Hospice staff, Hospice volunteers
and others familiar with grief will be
available to listen, to share, to
support you as you come to
“remember”. We will have some
information to help you cope
through the season and some
refreshments to enjoy.
The event is drop-in style between
5 p.m. – 8 p.m. At 7 p.m. there will
be a short meditation/ music on
remembering – a time to pause and
let us focus on our loved one and the
grief that we are experiencing.
Hospice invites you to come and
take a little time for your own self-
care.
There are three locations to chose
from: Monday, Dec. 3 -
Egmondville United Church, 26
Kippen Road South, Egmondville –
between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.;
Thursday, Dec. 6 - Wingham Public
Library, 281 Edward Street,
Wingham – between 5 p.m. and 8
p.m. and Monday, Dec. 10,
Goderich Knox Presbyterian
Church, Royal Room, 9 Victoria
Street, North, Goderich, between 5
p.m. and 8 p.m.
If you would like to call ahead for
more information please contact
Kathy Procter at 519-357-2720 or
Shirley Dinsmore at 519-527-0655.
THE EDITOR,
“’Tis the season to be Jolly” is the
opening line of a popular Christmas
carol, that reflects on how important
a season Christmas is to everyone,
young and old. With this in mind,
the North Huron Community Food
Share would like to say a big thank
you to everyone for their very
generous support this fall season.
We have been truly blessed with the
various food drives of non-
perishable food items as well as
monetary donations both large and
small.
I wish I could report a decrease in
the usage of the Food Share,
however reality is, the need is
increasing at an alarming rate. As I
had mentioned in previous articles,
we have seen an increase of almost
17 per cent usage over the previous
12 months. We therefore need and
appreciate your ongoing support all
year long. I might mention that
Friday, Nov. 23 in Wroxeter as well
as Saturday, Nov. 24 in Wingham at
the Santa Claus parades, food will
be collected for the Food Share.
Also on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 2:59 p.m.,
the Soundsation Choir will be
Letters to the Editor
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