Royal LePage 100 Mile Realty is just getting started, but already its office on Highway 97 is starting to fill up with donations for an annual Christmas Helper Event.
Non-perishable goods and food items, plush toys and colourful gift boxes are piled high in the entrance room by a Christmas tree and a sign that says “Santa's Corner.”
100 Mile House residents and businesses have been very generous, says office manager Sandy Davidson.
“The rhythm is going now. It turns into thousands of dollars worth of stuff that's given out. Clothing, food, toys – you name it.”
Royal LePage turns the items over to local organizations – Loaves & Fishes Outreach, 100 Mile House Food Bank, Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre and 100 Mile & District Women's Centre Society. It is divvied up by them according to which group is in need of what.
“There's always really good co-operation between these organizations that look after people here. All the goods we purchase with the money we collect from the realtors and the lawyers and from the public is spent locally here in 100 Mile.”
She adds the local Safeway grocery store and The Bargain Shop have donation boxes out and give Royal LePage “a huge” discount on things it purchases for the initiative.
Royal LePage is accepting donations until a few days before Christmas.