Stuff The Bus back on Dec. 17

The third annual Stuff The Bus toy drive and fundraiser for the Christmas Angels takes place Saturday, Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Canadian Tire parking lot.

Stuff The Bus helps the Christmas Angels obtain toys so they can distribute them and food hampers to needy families at Christmastime.

The goal is to fill a bus with toys and donations.

Organizer Heather de Boer says unfortunately, the demand for toys and cash to fill hampers for the needy will be greater than ever as the economic downturn continues.

“Last year we figured we took in about $5,800 just at the Stuff The Bus event. About $1,800 in cash donations and $4,000 worth of toys,” de Boer said during an interview with the Albertan.

“We're hoping to beat that this year because the need will be more of course.”

Last year the Christmas Angels Society delivered 144 hampers for a total of 445 people. Of that figure, 210 were children.

De Boer says the society provides hampers to a lot of seniors as well.

“We're estimating at least 15 to 20 more (will be) required for this year,” she says.

De Boer says although the Christmas Angels' mandate is to gather toys for kids, society members will take cash donations too, because that can be very helpful.

“If a child wants, say, Lego on their Christmas list and we don't have any, we'll go buy Lego so he gets what he wants for Christmas,” she says.

Last year, the bus only accepted donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year, those hours have been extended. It'll now be available for donations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The directors felt that we should be there a little longer – get there a little earlier in the morning before people leave town. And because it's a week later in the month, we thought we should be there a little later for people who are coming in,” de Boer says.

“We put that big inflatable Santa Bear out last year for visibility, and we're going to do that again this year because it just catches people's eye,” she adds.