Easter Seals Camp Horizon is hoping Santa’s elves will travel to Bragg Creek from the North Pole this holiday season to help bring gifts to those in need.
The annual Easter Seals Camp Horizon Christmas Camp Stocking Stuffer night will be held at the Snowbirds Chalet in Bragg Creek Dec. 3 from 7-9 p.m. Every Christmas season for the last 30 years, Camp Horizon has hosted up to 60 adult campers with physical and developmental disabilities on site at its annual Christmas Camp.
According to camp director of operations Anna Garcia, the campers, many of whom are on a fixed income and some who have no family to spend the holidays with, attend the camp so they are not alone during the holiday season.
For the last 14 years, to prepare for the holiday camp’s Christmas morning visit from Santa, Bragg Creek and area volunteers have met at Snowbirds Chalet to stuff the stockings that are given to the Christmas camp attendees.
“On Christmas morning, our campers are very appreciative and full of joy after opening their stockings,” said Garcia. “These donations help make a huge difference in the lives of our campers every Christmas.”
Donated gifts may include Wal-Mart, Target, Tim Hortons and movie theatre gift cards, as well as sweaters, blankets, mitts and toques.
Other gifts may include spa treatment kits, cosmetics, jewelry, games, puzzles, craft supplies, colouring books and videos. For people familiar with past stocking stuffer evenings, the organization is no longer requesting donations of 60 small items for the stockings, but rather donations of one or two larger items.
People unable to attend the stocking stuffer event may drop off donated items directly at Camp Horizon, or their Calgary office prior to the event.
ATB Financial is also collecting presents at local branches. Light refreshments and wine, donated by Spirits West, will be served during the stocking stuffer evening.
Besides attending the stocking stuffer event, Garcia hopes to encourage people to help the campers and staff by volunteering during the week of the Christmas camp.
The organization needs volunteers to help make the camp possible by working with staff to assist campers with activities, help in the kitchen, or do basic housekeeping.
“The Christmas camp embodies the most love, joy and heartfelt gratitude of any Christmas environment you could engage in,” said Garcia. “It is an event you will never want to miss once you have experienced it for the first time.”
To volunteer during the Christmas camp week contact Katie at [email protected].
To RSVP for the stocking suffer event call 403-949-3818 ext. 0 or email [email protected].
