The spirit of giving generous is alive and vibrant in Innisfail.
While Christmas is typically seen as the season of giving and the remaining 10 or 11 months of the year are often forgotten, local citizens have taken the high road and embraced a culture of charitable giving.
This last week, on behalf of the École John Wilson Parent Council, Erin Flewelling stood proud as $216,000 in fundraising for the shared community playground was announced.
Innisfail and area businesses, individuals and service clubs were among the donors who gave both large and small amounts to make the four-year goal a reality in slightly more than a year.
It was a moving moment when Jason Drent, École John Wilson principal, announced the funding was complete and by mid-June 2015 children would be using the new three-phase equipment.
The announcement put an exclamation mark on a passionate, personal and persistent journey for the parent council volunteers but more importantly it showed what happens when a community is mobilized for a common goal.
Elsewhere in the community we continually see examples of Innisfailians stepping up to the plate and hitting a home run.
A couple weekends ago, the Innisfail Eagles and the Innisfail and District Christmas Bureau held their first toque toss event and netted more than 100 toques and other gifts at their Friday night game against the Stony Plain Eagles.
While the Christmas bureau works primarily throughout November and December, their efforts are year round, and with generous donations from the Charity Check Stop, corporate donors such as Purina, the Town of Innisfail, Dairy Queen, Red Deer Mitsubishi, Llewellyn Electric, and the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion, the ongoing campaigns ensure every Innisfail child receives some kind of Christmas gift.
The Innisfail and Area Food Bank interact with hungry and resource-strapped families 12 months a year. Local businesses host food drives, fundraising barbeques, and maintain a steady supply of food and personal items for the clients of the busy charity, which is seeing an increase in demand due to spiralling food costs.
Special needs in the community also receive Innisfail's best.
This year has seen fundraising for breast cancer awareness and the Bulls, Bras, and Bashing on behalf of Jolene Bjaranson, for former Innisfailian Gage Daoust whom is suffering from leukodystrophy, and for little Brooke Aubuchon, who is afflicted with Batten.
If we dig a little deeper, the community supports athletic programs such as baseball, hockey, soccer, and lacrosse for athletes aged five to 17 with equipment and other needs.
Behind the scenes, countless acts of ‘paying it forward' happen everyday as citizens help each other out by shovelling snow, holding doors, mowing lawns, taking garbage out or just spending time with our neighbours and enriching each other's lives.
At every level of Innisfail a generous spirit abounds and makes this community a better place to live, work and play.
To put in a more poetic manner, ‘We are because we give to each other.'
During the École John Wilson shared playground ceremony, it was not so much the words that spoke loudly, but rather it was an intangible that Flewelling expressed with a simple phrase and single tear.
“The community made this happen.”
