Ghost Station is hosting its second annual “Stuff the Stocking” toy drive.
“Last year went great,” exclaimed organizer Caroline Hookey.
The first stocking ended up with two truckloads of toys and $600 split between two organizations, the Cochrane Activettes and the Woman’s Shelter in Morley. This year the Ghost Station staff is collecting food bank items and toys for the Morley Helping Hampers program. The Helping Hampers program will be providing provisions for 90 families between Big Horn, Eden Valley and Morley.
“It’s a chance to give someone else an opportunity to benefit from what we raise,” Hookey said. “Anything we get will be appreciated.”
Hookey brought the idea to the Ghost Station owners Mike Mondor and Corleen Schultz last year with full support and approval. Schultz and her sister stitched a nine-foot stocking that is on display again this year at the service station.
Currently, organizers are encouraging those who want to donate to bring toys for any age group. Hookey said she does not want the older kids to be forgotten and said gift cards are a great older-kid gift idea.
“You don’t want to see any kids or families go without and we just kind of do what we can to help,” Hookey said.
The acting manager at the Morley Food Bank, Belinda Simeon, said they are grateful for the help from the Ghost Station organizers.
“I am at a loss for words – I can’t thank them enough,” said Simeon. “They are a small community but they are doing everything they can.”
The Ghost Station is accepting unwrapped toys for kids of all ages, monetary donations and food bank items. Helping Hampers organizers said they still need pampers, peanut butter, pasta, and ingredients for bannock such as flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, lard and oatmeal.
“The list is endless. I can go on and on,” Simeon said.
The Ghost Station is located off Highway 1A, 13 kilometres west of Cochrane.
“Stuff the Stocking” runs until Dec. 21. To contact the store, visit ghoststation.ca or phone 403-851-5209.
“We hope to do that same (amount) this year, and if not, if people can’t afford it then I’m sure the food bank will take whatever they can get and I’m sure they will appreciate it,” Hookey said.
For more information on wish-list needs for the Helping Hampers program for Stoney Nakoda, contact the Morley Food Bank at 403-881-2766.
