PREECEVILLE — Filling the Gap volunteers and committee members are busy organizing the upcoming Christmas Hamper program. “The committee is looking forward to a return to more normal operations without the challenges of public health restrictions,” said Karolyn Kosheluk, coordinator.
“We would like to thank each and every person, service group, and business that donates to this program. It is impossible to name them all, and each donation, big or small, whether it is money or food items, or volunteer time is an essential part of what makes this project possible,” Kosheluk said.
The Filling the Gap program has been operating in the local area for well over 20 years, and local community groups, churches, businesses, and individuals contribute all of the funds necessary to make Filling the Gap work. The program has two areas: emergency hampers, which provide food to families in need throughout the year, and the Christmas hamper program, which provides food and children’s gifts at Christmas.
Last year, 48 hampers and 77 children’s gifts made a difference to families in our area, which includes: Sturgis, Preeceville, Endeavour, Buchanan, Stenen, Hyas, Danbury, Hazel Dell and Okla. All information is kept confidential.
“It takes many, many volunteers and a co-ordinator to make this work. It’s a huge project but very worthwhile and so rewarding to be a part of something that helps local families,” stated Kosheluk.
The Christmas Hamper program is organized by Filling the Gap which is a joint project of the SPE Family Resource Centre and the Preeceville and District Ministerial Association. Filling the Gap committee members are: Sheila Klebeck (secretary), Evelyn Reagan (treasurer), and Jackie Blotski, Barb Biccum and Karolyn Kosheluk.
Filling the Gap runs entirely on donations, and has been well-supported by individuals, businesses, and service groups in the area.
Christmas hampers have been provided for well over 20 years, originally by local churches, and then the project evolved into a more organized program overseen by the family resource centre. Ministerial members expanded the program to include emergency hampers and it became known as Filling the Gap.
Children’s gifts are available to children 15 years and under. The presents are wrapped by a team of volunteers organized by the SPE Family Resource Centre. Gifts are either purchased or donated and include many other items such as new books from First Book Canada, toques, scarves, and mittens either bought or made by local residents, and pyjama pants made by St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church ladies and the Endeavour Mennonite Sewing Circle.
Christmas hampers include a box of donated non-perishable food and bags of flour and sugar, and also the perishable items necessary to have a holiday meal such as a turkey, vegetables, and a box of oranges.
There are many volunteers who contribute anywhere from three to 60 hours of work for this project in addition to the approximately 100 hours of the co-ordinator’s work.
“Volunteers pick up donated and purchased food, wrap gifts, and check all of the donated non-perishable food for expiry dates. On assembly day, volunteers help with putting hampers together and helping arrange for pickup and delivery,” concluded Kosheluk.
