Monday, May 12, 2008

Donate your coats to keep kids warm

Here and Now column by Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Oct. 15, 2003


Winter's coming, and it's time to clean out your closets - again!

But, before you throw out that old winter jacket, take a moment to think of donating it to a very worthwhile cause.

The South Burnaby Neighbourhood House is starting a Coats for Kids campaign this winter, in the hope of helping to bundle up young people from low-income families in the city this winter.

"When families are struggling financially to keep body and soul together and to ensure their kids are fed and have a roof over their heads, an expensive item like a winter coat becomes a luxury," said Kimberly Barwick, program director at the neighbourhood house.

"Often this means that kids go to school inadequately clothed and they're not prepared for the winter months. In fact, I hear this winter is going to be a cold one."

Barwick said the Coats for Kids campaign is even more important this year because a former clothing voucher program offered by the CKNW Orphan's Fund was folded two years ago due to funding and staffing problems. The CKNW program used to provide clothing vouchers to 11,000 young people in the Lower Mainland, with up to 1,000 of those going to residents of the Burnaby and New Westminster communities.

This year, with the help of agencies such as the South Burnaby United Church, Burnaby Family Life and Maywood community school, the Coats for Kids program will focus on providing warm clothing to young people living in the Metrotown area. If successful, the program should expand across the city in future years, Barwick said.

The program volunteers are looking for new or slightly used children's jackets and donations of cash.

Any person, agency or business that would like to help can call Barwick at the South Burnaby Neighbourhood House at 604-431-0400.

FEEDING THE FIRE?

One of the biggest labour organizations in the province has stepped up to the plate to help the people of Barriere get through their first winter without their largest employer in town.

The trades council, which is based out of the Operating Engineers Hall on Ledger Avenue, has donated $5,250 to the Barriere Food Bank, a service that has seen a fivefold increase in use since the devastating forest fires of this past summer.

The town of Barriere is especially hard hit because the fires destroyed the Louis Creek sawmill, the largest employer in town. Prior to the fire, the local food bank provided assistance to about 300 people per month. Since the fire, the food bank has helped about 100 families each week, totalling a new record of more than 1,600 people per month, said food bank society president Brenda Lavis. This is in a town with a total population of only 3,250, according to the latest Statistics Canada report.

"Tolko employees (the company that owned the sawmill) used to provide steady funding to the food bank through payroll deductions," Lavis said in a press release issued by the trades council. "Now, those same employees are dependent on us. Even the restaurant at the hotel has had to cut back on its waitresses as few people can afford to eat out."

Terry Davies, the secretary-treasurer of the trades council, presented the cheque on behalf of the council's 13 affiliated unions last Wednesday.

CHOCOLATE TO WATER

Four year-old Johnathan Iaci and 25 of his closest friends had a free tour of the Vancouver Aquarium and Marine Science Centre last month after he won the grand prize in a contest sponsored by Nestle Canada and the YTV television station.

Johnathan won a behind-the-scenes look at the marine laboratories, front row seats for the dolphin show, and was the guest of honour for a chocolate party.

THE TRUE MONARCHS

Thanks are long overdue to the Metro Monarch Lions Club for their recent donation that helped ensure that a 64-year-old mentally ill Burnaby resident did not wind up homeless last month.

A mention in our Sept. 13 newspaper contained an incorrect name for the generous service club. Also helping on the case out were the Progressive Housing Society and other community based non-profit societies.

TAI CHI AND YOGA CLASSES

Have you ever been twisted into shape?

That could well be your fate this week as Brentwood Town Centre hosts the first installment of its Bend It For Brentwood campaign to raise cash for the Burnaby Hospital Foundation.

Every Monday and Tuesday for five consecutive weeks, the shopping complex will host Tai Chi classes in the morning, and yoga classes at night in an effort to buy two multi-position treatment chairs of the hospital.

The Tai Chi classes will begin at 9 a.m. and will be taught by local master Ken Lagerstrom, while the Hatha Yoga classes are at 6:30 p.m. and will be led by Louise Stewart.

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