If you haven't donated to the Share Your Christmas hamper program, there is still time.

Jan Tracy, President of the Cochrane Activettes and Chairperson for Share Your Christmas, says they already have requests for over two hundred hampers thus far and that number is expected to still grow. "There is another week or so before we finalize so, I am thinking, we will be at 240/250 or something around there."

Beginning tomorrow (December 14) and all next week, a steady group of community volunteers come together to construct both food and toy hampers for families in need. Tracy shares, while donations are steadily coming in, a number of non-perishable items are still being requested (listed below) and an update for toys/gifts will be provided after Stuff A Bus. "With two busloads of stuff, I will have a better idea after Saturday."

Thanks to a group of retired oilmen out of Calgary, 'Wheels For Kids', ninety bikes have been also refurbished and donated, says Tracy. "That was as many as we could get, there are a lot more families that would like bikes but we just don't have enough to go around."

For those needing a helping hand this holiday season, Tracy says community members can still put in a request. "If someone does need a hamper we are still taking phone calls at 587-586-6416."

If you are looking for a place to drop off donations there are numerous options available to you including over 40 business locations, Save On Foods, Safeway, Mark's No Frills, the CP Holiday Train this afternoon (December 13) and Stuff A Bus on Saturday (December 15).

Share Your Christmas hampers will be picked up by the families on December 22 and below is a list of non-perishables still being requested.

  • vegetable and mushroom soup
  • cereal
  • oatmeal
  • peanut butter
  • rice
  • canned meat, large canned ham
  • salmon, tuna 
  • desperate for cat and dog food