Santa got a little extra help last week, as the community came together to ensure every local girl and boy will have a toy under the tree this Christmas. Volunteers gathered at Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS) on Thursday, Dec.
Santa got a little extra help last week, as the community came together to ensure every local girl and boy will have a toy under the tree this Christmas.
Volunteers gathered at Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS) on Thursday, Dec. 15 for the annual Santa's Elves wrapping party. The program, which has been taking place since 1971, collected gifts for 556 children of all ages in Bonnyville and the MD.
"We were feeling a little scrambled there, but just in the last week all of the community - the businesses and individuals, have really poured in with their donations of gifts, and financial donations as well," said Janice Zazulak, BCHS teacher and Santa's Elves organizer.
The number of families relying on Santa's Elves to give their children a Merry Christmas is continually on the rise. In 2014, the group provided gifts for 343 kids. Last year, that rose to 461, before jumping up an additional 95 children in 2016.
Thankfully, as the need rises, so does the support Santa's Elves receives from the school and community.
"We have quite a few students that help out. We have a small Santa's Elves team, the street team that goes out and collects the toys, and we have various classes that help when needed. Right after school (the night of the wrapping party) the gym was full of students to help out," expressed Zazulak, adding that every year they get more and more volunteers from the community as well.
Prior to the wrapping party, the toy bins, which were located at various local businesses, got collected and sorted into age groups and gender. After every last gift is wrapped and bagged, they are collected by the Knights of Columbus and distributed with the Christmas food hampers to families that had registered.
"It's a good way to be a part of the community, and the school too," said Taryn Yaceyko, a Grade 12 BCHS student who has been volunteering with Santa's Elves. "Especially for our last year, I'm really excited to be able to come here in Grade 12 and say this is my fourth year with Santa's Elves."
Grade 11 student and volunteer Kayley Drzazga added, "I wouldn't want to see kids not being able to celebrate Christmas just because their family has a low income... and I'm proud that BCHS is in charge of all of it."
With another successful year in the books, the Santa's Elves team can rest easy knowing there won't be a tree in Bonnyville without presents this Christmas. Zazulak has no doubt they'll be back in full force next year.
"I believe that this is always going to be around. As long as the Town of Bonnyville is standing, we will always have Santa's Elves."
