Approximately 700 local kids will have a brighter Christmas thanks to the Deltassist Toy Depot.
The annual program, put on to help low-income families during the holidays, was held over a three-day stretch earlier this month at the East Delta Hall.
Volunteers played a big role in the Toy Depot, says Deltassist community services coordinator Colleen Danes.
“If it wasn’t for the volunteers, we couldn’t do this,” she says.
They put in hundreds of hours helping with the set up at the hall, assisting clients and then doing clean-up.
Longtime volunteer Alice Barnes from Ladner says set up went smoothly with people working at a quick pace.
Asked why she keeps coming back year after year, she says, “Wouldn’t you? Look at it all. It’s just so much fun. It’s nice to see, it’s the spirit of Christmas, isn’t it?”
Tsawwassen’s Donna Clark, who volunteers at the pajama table, says seeing clients’ smiling faces when they find something special for their child is very rewarding.
“It really warms my heart,” she says.
Hours were extended on two of the three days, making life easier for organizers, volunteers and clients, says Danes.
The toys at the Toy Depot come from around the community, including the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall’s long-running Stockings for Kids program.
Danes says the amount of community support was “amazing.”
