Category: Adopt-A-Teen
Adopt-A-Teen
A stack of thank you cards from Adopt-A-Teen recipients.Claire Theobald / Postmedia
By GRAHAM HICKS
It’s coming down to the end of the third period, the ninth inning, the last furlough.
The final push is on.
With Christmas around the corner, The Christmas Bureau is at 80 per cent of its goal of raising $1.3 million to provide a festive dinner for those 15,000 less fortunate families who are our neighbours.
Within those families, the Edmonton Sun’s Adopt-A-Teen Christmas gift program has undertaken to provide 6,000 teens with a Christmas gift: a $50 Walmart gift card purchased with your donations.
Adopt-A-Teen, as of Friday, December 21, was 81 per cent on its way to its goal.
The good news — enough funds have been raised to give 4,850 teens a gift. But $57,500 is still needed to cover the gift card costs for the remaining 1,150 teens.
The good news — The Christmas Bureau has 12,000 underprivileged families covered for their Christmas meal. But another $2 ...
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Edmonton Oilers President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe talks to a sold out crowd of 650 people at the 14th annual Faceoff Against Hunger Luncheon at the Shaw Conference Centre on Friday Dec 13, 2013. The event raised an estimated $150,000 to help local charities through the Edmonton Oilers Foundation. $100,000 was gifted to the Christmas Bureau at the start of the event. Tom Braid/Edmonton Sun/QMI AgencyTom Braid / Tom Braid/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency
By GRAHAM HICKS
We all know how it is.
You’ve been meaning to donate to Adopt-A-Teen and The Christmas Bureau.
But life gets in the way: Grandma needs help with her Christmas shopping, your pal needs emotional support, the kids actually want somebody to cook their supper …
That’s life.
But this, too, is life.
Six days before Christmas, The Christmas Bureau is 60.9% of the way to its goal, and still has 6,800 families to feed.
Adopt-A-Teen is at 68% of its goal to provide 6,000 under-privileg ...
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Another auction item: This framed and autographed famous Wayne Gretzky photo shot by Tom Braid.
This time around, Adopt-A-Teen is the recipient of Tom and Don’s largesse.
“I always loved Adopt-A-Teen, ever since it started at The Sun,” says Tom. “Ultimately these teens are tomorrow’s adults and civic leaders. I think this program has an impact on teens well beyond Christmas gifts.”
Says Don: “I have a 17-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. It’s a special age, the teen years. Some of their friends come from difficult homes. My wife and I try to open our hearts and our home to them. They need to know that others care for them.
“And this is my way of thanking Tom for all he’s done – by supporting a cause that’s dear to both our hearts.”
Tom will be taking auction bids by phone, please call 780-965-1838. We’ll start at $3,000 – the retail value of the framed/autographed Connor McDavid sweater and th ...
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A cyclist rides on a designated bicycle lane on 102 Avenue near 117 Street in downtown Edmonton on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017.Larry Wong / Postmedia
By GRAHAM HICKS
STUFF PEPPER UP MY NOSE, THEN CALL ME SNEEZY
Edmonton City Council has done everything possible to deter downtown parking – bike lanes, complicating intersections, complicating signage, jacking up parking rates, narrowing roads, removing roads, removing parking spaces. And then, as downtown businesses complain, claim it’s just the price to be paid for becoming a big city.
Then city councilors feign shock when informed of a $45 million (!!!) downtown parking revenue shortfall!
RESPONSIBLE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT – WHAT A CONCEPT!
Isn’t it great to see so many First Nations in B.C. and Alberta lining up in support of responsible resource development, arguing that recent federal government and appeal court decisions are denying them the right to a better standard of life? How will the feds argue in court ...
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Dan Johnstone, also known as Can Man Dan, shows off food collected during his third of four campouts raising donations and awareness for the Edmonton Food Bank outside the Sobey's grocery store at 16943 127 St. on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017. Johnstone's seventh annual camp out raised over $55,000 and 50,000 kilograms of food donations for the Edmonton Food Bank.Claire Theobald / Postmedia
By GRAHAM HICKS
We dress up Christmas charity campaigns with sentimental Yuletide images. We glaze our words with the Christmas spirit. We read or watch Charles Dickens’ enduring A Christmas Carol with warm fuzzy feelings, reflecting on Ebenezer Scrooge’s wondrous Christmas conversion from miser to philanthropist (somebody who gives away a lot of money).
But it comes down to hard, cold cash.
Adopt-A-Teen is committed to providing 6,000 teens from less-than-privileged Edmonton families with a $50 Walmart Adopt-A-Teen gift card.
That’s $300,000 worth of gift cards.
So if you c ...
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John Paul Janssens (right) and John Marks load gifts on to Janssens truck during the second day of deliveries for 630 CHED's Santas Anonymous in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday, December 18, 2016. Volunteers through the charitable organization deliver gifts and Christmas cheer to families in need across the city. Ian Kucerak / Postmedia FileKucerak, Ian / Postmedia
By GRAHAM HICKS
A volunteer armada is about to descend on our city.
The upcoming weekend (Dec. 15 and 16, 2018) is delivery day(s) for two of the three Edmonton Christmas charities that work hand-in-glove to make sure every child in the city, from toddler to 17-year-old, has a Christmas gift, that every family can sit down to a delicious Christmas dinner without worrying about the cost.
Thousands – literally – of volunteer drivers will rally at the Santa’s Anonymous new permanent home in the Jerry Forbes Centre (12122-68 Street – close to the now-closed Coliseum), to pick up and delivery toys to ...
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John Paul Janssens (right) and John Marks load gifts on to Janssens truck during the second day of deliveries for 630 CHED's Santas Anonymous in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday, December 18, 2016. Volunteers through the charitable organization deliver gifts and Christmas cheer to families in need across the city. Ian Kucerak / Postmedia FileKucerak, Ian / Postmedia
By GRAHAM HICKS
A volunteer armada is about to descend on our city.
The upcoming weekend (Dec. 15 and 16, 2018) is delivery day(s) for two of the three Edmonton Christmas charities that work hand-in-glove to make sure every child in the city, from toddler to 17-year-old, has a Christmas gift, that every family can sit down to a delicious Christmas dinner without worrying about the cost.
Thousands – literally – of volunteer drivers will rally at the Santa’s Anonymous new permanent home in the Jerry Forbes Centre (12122-68 Street – close to the now-closed Coliseum), to pick up and delivery toys to ...
Read the rest of entry »
Debbie Mears is helped with the icing on the Adopt-A-Teen gingerbread house by three-year-old Lidia Lee. The Christmas Bureau launched its 78th campaign with a gingerbread house decorating challenge in Ford Hall at Rogers Place.Shaughn Butts / Postmedia
Images linger in my head.
Teens for whom Christmas is the toughest day of the year. Their peers may be showered with gifts, but their parents (often one parent or guardian) can’t give them a thing.
Kids — for that is what teens are — who just wish Christmas would go away, because it hurts too much.
Think of their families. So many different situations for the parents or guardians — newly arrived immigrants, single parents, recently laid-off, disabled and unable to work.
They all love their children — especially those often-non-communicative teens!
But they are all struggling to make ends meet.
That’s why it is so easy to ask you, in this season of giving, to support The Edmonton Sun’s Ado ...
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Adopt-A-Teen charity auction package: Oilers Past and Present.
Everything in this ONE OF A KIND package has been donated by Tom Braid. The proceeds of this auction will be 100% donated to the 2018 Edmonton Sun Adopt-a-Teen Christmas gift program for teens from under-privileged Edmonton families.
Bid by calling 780-965-1838. Bidding to start at $3000. Bidding ends at noon on Saturday, December 22, 2018.
*Signed Connor McDavid Jersey in jersey box with a colour action photo. The box is hinged, so the jersey can be worn and displayed. Retail value, $1,800.
*11"x14" colour signed and custom-framed Tom Braid photo of Wayne Gretzky holding the 1985 Stanley Cup over his head. (1984/85 Oilers were voted the best team in the history of the NHL). Retail value, $800
*Two Gold tickets for an Oilers game, value $800 for the pair. Your choice of one of four home Oiler games in February or March.
*Two pre-game dinner tickets inside Studio 99.
*Private screening of the exclusive Director's Cut for a ...
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One by one, employees are called into the boss’s office. Termination notices are issued, individuals ushered to their desk with 10 minutes to gather belongings and turn in keys. Security guards escort them to the front door.
No one likes layoffs, but, hey, the next day it’ll be business as usual for the organization.
Not for the ex-employee, not for her or his family. Especially with Christmas approaching. Especially for the children. Especially for the teens.
The families of the recently laid-off, of those down-sized in the oilpatch, of recently arrived refugees, of the underemployed are hurting this Christmas. Kids are watching their parents fall apart because of financial stress.
For those of us fortunate enough to have kept our homes and our living standards, much must be asked.
With your help, three extraordinary charities work arm-in-arm to ensure every child in Edmonton aged zero to 17 will have a Christmas gift, and every family on a limited income will have a festive meal.
...
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