Be miracle worker for less fortunate this holiday season

The Free Press is hoping for another miracle this Christmas season.

The 11th annual Free Press Miracle on Mountain fundraiser, to help the Christmas Cheer Board, launches today. The fundraiser began after amalgamating the sports department’s decades-old Spirit of Christmas with the Pennies from Heaven campaign.

Free Press editor Paul Samyn said readers step up each year to ensure those who are less fortunate are taken care of.

“And it’s a tradition that always leads to a miracle as the generosity of Free Press readers knows no bounds,” Samyn said.

Shawna Bell, the Cheer Board’s chief elf, who is sometimes known as its executive director, said the charity hopes to raise enough money to ship out thousands of hampers filled with food to anyone who needs help this time of year — including single people, couples, families, seniors and people with disabilities.

“Last year we had 21,000 go out and we’re hoping to stay around that number,” Bell said.

There will also be an age-appropriate, new, unwrapped toy included for children up to the age of 14.

As an extra incentive for donations, a philanthropic couple has agreed to match the first $50,000 in donations to Miracle on Mountain.

“They have a big heart for organizations doing good work,” she said of the couple, who wish to remain anonymous.

That means if you donate $20, with Christmas magic it becomes $40. Donate $100 and it becomes $200 and so on.

Readers can help two other ways: by buying a hot dog or car battery.

Until Dec. 21, Willy Dogs inside the Deer Lodge Curling Club will donate 10 per cent to the Cheer Board on all eat in and takeout orders. The Battery Man will donate $5 per vehicle battery sold to the cause.

Today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Amalgamated Transit Union’s second annual Fill-A-Bus event will be held at the Four Crowns Restaurant and Bar at 1030 McPhillips St. They hope to fill a vintage bus (donated for the day by the Manitoba Transit Heritage Society) with non-perishable food items and new, unwrapped toys.

The Cheer Board and its volunteers pop up at a different location every year as they use spaces donated to them.

This is the first year in their long memory where they have two locations — call them the west and east poles.

“I like that,” Bell said laughing.

The east pole location, where recipients can go to pick up their hampers, is 1441 Main St., most recently a Giant Tiger store and formerly a longtime Safeway.

The west pole, at 133 Paramount Rd., is located in an industrial park north of Inkster Boulevard and east of Keewatin Street. Food and toy donations can be dropped off there. It’s also where the hampers will be packed before volunteers deliver them to recipients who may not be able to make it to the east pole.

“It has been interesting logistics already,” Bell said of the dual locations. “But, don’t worry, in the end everybody will get their hampers.”

Now, it’s up to donors.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca