PORT ALICE—Local residents are asked to keep an eye — and an ear — out tonight for Santa’s sleigh.
No, the big guy is not delivering early this year. But the Port Alice Lions club is hosting a sleigh ride in town to benefit the Gazette Hamper Fund and local food bank.
The ride will begin at 6:30 p.m. and wind its way through the town’s streets. Keep watch for your chance to clamber aboard, and the Lions encourage the donation of a non-perishable food item as your ticket.
Horses for hampers
The Reinforest Riders had a nice evening ride and enjoyed enthusiastic community response last week in their second annual Hamper Fund Toy Ride in Port McNeill.
Residents gathered in front of their homes with toys to donate as 15 brightly decorated horses — and one Shetland pony-powered buggy — toured the streets. A pair of trucks followed the riders to collect the toys (and any wayward deposits left by the horses).
The club filled four large boxes with toys and also gathered a cash donation.
“I was really pleased when I saw the amount of riders we had out and the number of people standing out on the street waiting for us,” organizer Leanne Jones said.
Holly is here
Port McNeill resident and green thumb Helen Scott is offering fresh holiday holly sprigs from her large bush, in return for a donation to the Hamper Fund. To get directions and arrange pickup of your holly, call Helen at 250-956-3673.
Hockey handouts
The North Island Eagles hockey program continued to deliver for the Hamper Fund last weekend. Already having gathered impressive amounts of food, toys and money through their annual alumni game and other league contests this month, the Eagles atom development club and the peewee team both added to the haul during their games in Port McNeill and Port Alice, respectively.
Credit also goes to the visiting players from Saanich and from Cowichan Valley, who contributed to the fund on their trip.
Wreath raffle
Coastal Community Credit Union’s Port Hardy branch is renewing its Christmas wreath raffle to benefit the Hamper Fund. Staff are each creating a different themed wreath which will be displayed in the branch and then raffled off, with proceeds going to the fund.
Cash for cans
The Port Hardy Return-it Centre is once again offering North Islanders an opportunity to contribute to the Hamper Fund by donating their can and bottle returns to the fund.
Just inform staff at the time of your return that you wish to donate part or all of the amount to the Hamper Fund. Through last weekend, the Return-it Centre had already received nearly $1,600 in donations.