Last week to buy local gift cards for SCC fundraiser
Moosomin Chamber of Commerce
October 23, 2023, 2:28 pm
Ryan Kiedrowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
It’s going to be a flurry of activity this week as the deadline to purchase MacLeod School Community Council gift cards looms.
Friday, Oct. 27 is your last chance to purchase cards from a MacLeod Elementary School student or at the World-Spectator office - available in $25, $50, and $100 denominations.
Last year, the fundraiser sold a staggering $117,000 in gift cards and Tammy Cole, principal at MacLeod Elementary School, told those at the Oct. 17 Chamber meeting that sales this year are close to $55,000 so far. With the anticipated rush to buy gift cards last minute, it will be interesting to see how the final tally compares to 2022 numbers.
Cole said the fundraiser is now in its third year and more businesses have been participating. Another trend she’s noticed is how local businesses are purchasing the gift cards to give to staff as Christmas bonuses.
Those tireless students selling gift cards are also handsomely rewarded for their hard work.
“One of the things we decided to do this year was to make sure that the prizes that the students get for participating are going to be gift cards themselves,” Cole explained.
So where does the money raised end up going? Cole said that the SCC is devoting a great portion of funds raised toward building a new all-inclusive playground at the school.
Spookarama looking for volunteers, donations
Trina Brace of the Moosomin Spookarama Committee provided an update to Chamber members on the local Halloween tradition.
The committee organizes a dance each year for local youth on Oct. 31. Since Spookarama has begun, vandalism and mischief occurrences have not been a problem in Moosomin.
Organized with the help of the Chamber, McNaughton High School SRC and the Moosomin RCMP, Spookarama relies on local businesses and organizations for donations of cash and/or door prizes for the event. Brace noted drop-off locations for donations are at Haven Clothing and McPhail Travel, or through the Moosomin RCMP Detachment.
There’s also a need for volunteer chaperones for the dance, and those interested in helping out can call Kate Chegwin at (306) 591-1913 or Samantha McGonigal at (306) 435-4658.
Brace said that DJ Dumo will be providing music at Spookarama. He was hired as DJ last year based on students’ suggestions and was popular with the kids at the dance.
Food Share looking for donations
The Moosomin Food Share is looking for more donations of non-perishable items. Samantha Campbell, Food Share manager, gave the Chamber an update of what they’re facing.
Primarily, it’s a situation felt all across the country - higher need and a decrease in donations.
“In the last year, we have more than doubled our clients,” she said. “For the month of October, 2022, we had 19 hampers. This October, we had 45 hampers and two emergency hampers.”
Campbell foresees Christmas hampers being at least in the 55-60 range this year.
“One of the reasons that we get why our clients tell us they are accessing the Food Share is the prices of groceries,” Campbell explained.
Rising food costs have also impacted the Food Share’s ability to purchase groceries.
Campbell compared the range of April to October of 2022 where they spent $5,000 on groceries.
In that same timeframe this year, the cost rose to nearly $14,000.
The perishable groceries in the recent Thanksgiving hampers alone were over $3,200.
Chamber members discussed making
Campbell spoke of some new programs the Food Share has initiated, including the fact that they are now also a pet food bank.
She also explained the Backpacks for Children program, which already has 10 children accessing the resource.
“Every Friday, children that are signed up can get a backpack full of food to last them the weekend,” Campbell said, adding that the program has 20 spaces sponsored for the year.
The newest project at the Food Share is a meal subscription service, which is open to everyone in the community.
Subscribers can access three meals per week at a cost of $55 for two people and $97 for four people. Campbell noted that all groceries are purchased locally, and a small profit is created from the program which is then donated back into the community.
