The Deloraine and Area Christmas Cheer program is in full swing with collection bins in 3 locations throughout the town.

Organizer, Jan McClelland says the Cheer Board committee felt it was very important to continue providing Christmas hampers as any other year, even though larger centers, like Brandon and Winnipeg, may not be able to serve their larger communities through the Cheer Board due to COVID-19 critical red restrictions.

“We felt that we serve a small enough area that we could manage with just our committee members this year,” explains McClelland.  “We would use volunteers to the minimum, if at all, but use them as sparingly as possible.”

“We felt that the need was, if not the same, then it might increase this year so we felt it was even more important to do Cheer this year if we could do it.”

Each year the Deloraine Christmas Cheer Board gives anywhere between 20-40 hampers in their area which covers Deloraine, Goodlands, Medora, Waskada, “and anyone who considers that their home community,” shares McClelland.  She adds last Christmas they gave over 40 Christmas hampers.

Hampers consist of all the necessities of putting together a Christmas dinner, including breakfast items that help to carry folks into the New Year.

“Our hampers tend to be generous because our community is very generous,” she says. “We make sure to have all the Christmas dinner trimmings and some extra, and we hope it makes their holiday season brighter.”

Drop off your donations at Deloraine’s Boundary Co-op Food Store, Hasselfield Drugs, or the RM office lobby before December 6th.   Christmas hampers will be delivered December 14th if weather permits.  If inclement weather the Cheer Board will be delivering hampers the following Thursday.