Campaign aims to ease burden of the holidays

Santas Anonymous, a campaign that seeks to spread the joy of the holidays to families throughout Jasper, has a new addition to its team – Mr. Claus himself.

Coordinator Jack Davies has offered himself up to be “hired” to appear as Santa at Christmas functions this year. “In exchange for some sort of donation I’ll come, even if there’s just a family with a party that wants Santa to drop in,” he said.

Davies said the campaign, which is a part of the Jasper Community Team’s Caring Community Fund, exists because every year in Jasper, there are about 40 families that need some extra help at Christmas.

“People can donate gifts, and we make sure the kids who need them get them,” Davies said. “We put together hampers to provide all complete meals for one day, as well as clothes and gifts.”

Families in need refer themselves confidentially through Community and Family Services, and Jasper firefighters deliver the hampers later in December. Donations can be dropped off at Community and Family Services and in donation boxes around town.

Davies said he got involved because of the sense of fulfillment that goes along with helping out. “The thought of some child waking up Christmas morning and not getting a gift... My goal is that no family will go without this year,” he said.

To address the diverse needs of the families involved, construction paper mittens have been hung at the Activity Centre with a gift idea written on each. People can take a mitt, purchase the listed present and deposit it in one of the drop boxes. 

Fundraising events for Santas Anonymous will take place through the month. On Dec. 9, Via Rail will host Santa’s Express, a train ride for kids with Saint Nick. This year two rides will take place, one at 12:30 p.m. and one at 3:30 p.m., with a maximum of 150 people each trip.

Tickets for Santa’s Express will be sold at the train station today (Dec. 4) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. only. Tickets cost $5 for children and $10 for adults for the one-and-a-half hour train ride, and Ross Pugh from Jasper Camera and Gift will take photos with proceeds going to Santas Anonymous. 

Assistant coordinator Krista Shore said the Santa’s Express is always a huge hit that sells out. “My little nieces and nephews are already excited for it,” she said. 

Via has also donated a prize of a return train trip for four to Edmonton with two nights accommodation at the Fairmont MacDonald hotel, to be raffled off on Dec. 19. Tickets will be sold with the Santa’s Express tickets at the train station, as well as at Community and Family Services and at various Christmas events.

People are creative when it comes to helping out this successful campaign, Shore said.  “Lots of times instead of doing a gift exchange people will do a donation to Santas Anonymous, for example,” she said, adding that the need is greater than it may seem. “Some people forget that in a small town like Jasper there are people in need.”

Santas Anonymous could always use more help, whether in the form of donations or volunteers. “Even if you can’t donate something, you can donate your time,” Davies said. “And it’s to show we’re a caring community. That’s so important.”

For more information or to “book” Santa, call Davies at 780-931-6659.