KAMSACK — Shoppers at the Kamsack Co-op food store on Dec. 14 were greeted by an RCMP cruiser with lights ablaze, tended by several supporters of a charitable initiative carrying a sign saying “Collecting non-perishable food items for KCI and Victoria students and their families.”
“We did really well,” said Mayor Beth Dix, who is a member of the staff of the Victoria School. “We filled the back of the truck as well as receiving cash and gift cards.”
Although each year, staff, parents and students of the schools seek non-perishable foods that are divided into hampers to be donated to students’ families for Christmas, this year it was decided to add the people-stopping sight of a police cruiser to help support the cause.
Called “Fill the Cruiser,” the project was spearheaded by Kamsack RCMP Cst. Dylan Costello, Dix said, explaining that the constable had said that a similar project had been successfully conducted in Carrot River where he had been posted.
Dix said she had been talking to Cst. Matt Bedore’s wife Sandy, who had urged that the Town of Kamsack work with the schools and the RCMP to gather the donations for the hampers.
“We were at the Co-op parking lot from noon to 6 p.m. on Dec. 14,” she said, adding that a similar request for donations will be made on Dec. 22, when several events, including rink activities, movies, bingo games and a bonfire in the Broda Sportsplex parking lot will be held. Participants during the day are to include representatives of the Paws and Claws organization.
Dix estimated that between 20 and 30 hampers will be made to donate to students’ families.
At past similar initiatives, sufficient funds were donated to allow organizers to purchase turkeys or hams, as well as fresh vegetables for the hampers, she said. The size and number of hampers will depend on the amount of donations made.
“We must thank Sandy for taking on this project this year,” she said. Knowing that the town’s administration was in flux due to the recent municipal election, she took it upon herself to organize everything.
In addition, until Dec. 23 non-perishable food items are being collected at the Town Office, Dix said. The donations received at the Town Office will be distributed among the community’s seniors.
