If you were to visit the Christmas Cheer warehouse on St. Vincent Street December 22nd, you would find bags of toys and boxes of food ready to be picked up by over 1900 needy families in the Barrie area.

December 21st, you would have seen volunteers hurrying about sorting and packing to get the bags and boxes ready.

Yet just one week ago, the warehouse was empty.

Where do the hundreds of dolls and games and basketballs and hockey sticks come from? Who gives the Kraft Dinner, the jars of peanut butter and cans of corn? In truth, our whole community chips in to make Christmas Cheer successful.

But by far, the bulk of food items and toys come from our local schools.

This year over 50 schools participated in Christmas Cheer. Classes start collecting items as early as September. Challenges are issued, within schools and between schools. Students come up with innovative ways to bring in as many items as their foyers can hold. They build Kraft Dinner trees. They designate special days – Fish Friday at one school was the tuna and salmon day. To encourage participation, staff members get involved.  An Oro teacher was made over by her grade fives. A Midhurst (male) staff member wore a skirt in the staff /student volleyball game.

This past Monday and Tuesday the buses, packed to the brim, rolled in. Sinton and First Student drivers volunteered their time again this year. In the end, after the counting was done, the schools in the Barrie area had donated over 45000 items, $5000.00 in cash and $1200.00 in Canadian Tire money.

Thank you to all the schools who participated, to the principals and staff members who led the way, to Sinton and First Student for providing busses and to the thousands of students who helped spread Christmas Cheer to over 5000 men, women and children.

We couldn’t do it without you.

Sandi & John Porter,
Barrie & District Christmas Cheer
School Co-ordinators