Chief elf expects need to grow this year
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/12/2017 (3073 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
It’s probably not surprising Winnipeg’s chief elf is pleased the city has had a blanket of snow fall on it earlier than usual.
After all, when you’re Kai Madsen of the Christmas Cheer Board, snow isn’t something that just covers lawns, streets and sidewalks — it also begins sprinkling the Christmas spirit on Winnipeggers.
As Madsen knows best, when Winnipeggers get the Christmas spirit, that’s when they start in earnest sending donations of money, food and unwrapped new toys to the cheer board.
“I’ve always had a really good feeling about Winnipeggers,” he said this week. “They never disappoint me.”
That’s great because Madsen — with the help of Winnipeggers — has pretty big shoes, uh, hampers to fill.
Madsen said the cheer board filled 18,600 hampers with a turkey, fixings and a present last year. This year, they are expecting the need to be slightly higher.
“We’re now at 10,000 applications, which is about 400 more than last year at this time,” he said.
Madsen said the coming days will be busy for the cheer board. They officially kick off their 2017 campaign Tuesday, the same day Free Press home-delivery customers will get a special paper bag stuffed in with their paper, which they can take to a local Sobeys, Safeway or IGA grocery store to fill with non-perishable food and drop it off in an in-store bin.
“We’re hoping we can collect lots,” he said. “But we also need (money) donations. We buy more than half the stuff we provide.”
That’s where the Free Press’ Miracle on Mountain campaign comes in.
You can send in a donation to the Free Press, with cheques payable to Miracle on Mountain or the cheer board. A classroom, school or individual can also bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Free Press offices at 1355 Mountain Ave., to put under the Christmas tree in our lobby.
Both ways of donating will make sure the families and Winnipeggers who may face a bleak Christmas celebration this year receive a hamper.
It might not be much to you, but to those who receive help, it may be the most generous gift they’ll receive. And isn’t that really what counts at this time of year?
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.
Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
How you can help
Send cheques to Miracle on Mountain, c/o 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6
We’re also asking classrooms and schools — as well as anyone else who wants to help — to bring in new, unwrapped toys to put under our Christmas tree at 1355 Mountain Ave. And, if schools contact us at miracleonmountain@winnipegfreepress.com ahead of time, we’ll make sure our journalists can record the generosity of our young people.
Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.
Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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History
Updated on Monday, December 4, 2017 3:18 PM CST: Corrects missing space in headline.