Cast-A-Light

Kelowna Hostesses: a toy story
by Contributed - Story: 68268
Dec 9, 2011 / 7:00 am

Over the holiday season, the health of our children can often be measured by their full tummies and smiling faces. Sadly, all too many Kelowna children living in poverty struggle for either.

For Lillian Moller, twenty-eight year veteran member of the Kelowna Hostesses, bringing smiles to the faces of children during this magical time of year is part of a long standing tradition her organization has shared with the Kelowna Community Food Bank.

A group of about forty-eight ladies (with a long waiting list to join), the Kelowna Hostesses are mostly retired ladies who take great pride in providing those extra hands that keep civic events and many community organizations going. Moller says, “This is our way to give back to our community and to say thank you."

“The Food Bank Toy Store is something we got involved with about ten years ago. The ladies come down in November and start setting up the Toy Store room. Marilynn Huband heads this up, with Rosemary Capell helping out. They’ll go through all of the toys, games, books and stuffed animals coming in and sort them onto the shelves and tables… and then on distribution days our ladies are there to help the parents pick out the most appropriate gifts for their children,” she says.

You could say they’re Santa’s little helpers, little helpers. With the Kelowna Hostesses’ dedication and the generous support shown by all who have donated new unwrapped toys at events like the Astral Media Stuff A Bus, last weekend’s Paramount Theatre Toy Drive, or who will donate at this weekend’s Costco/Kelowna Ford “Load a Lincoln” Toy Drive, over 1,000 less fortunate Kelowna children will share a brighter holiday season.

“There are so many families out there that are struggling, right now,” Says Moller. “Even with a husband and wife both working at minimum wage, it's barely above the poverty line and really hard for them maintain food and rent, pay the bills and provide gifts for the children at Christmas. For a little child to wake up Christmas morning without a toy, I think that would be the saddest thing ever. Open your wallets and your hearts and make this the best Christmas ever. There are people out there hurting.”

Moller reminds us that it isn’t just the little ones that need to be remembered, but some of the older children too. Kelowna Hostesses has a ‘Toys for Teens’ program within their own group, a gift card program where members donate and the club matches the donation, with the gift cards then matched to the best recipients.

She challenges other groups to get involved supporting the Kelowna Food Bank in similar ways. “Develop a volunteer program, put together food and fundraiser events, donate money, donate toys, donate your time. It is what the community needs,” she says.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

 

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31st, 2011. (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

 

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

 

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank

1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC

V1Y 1Z7

Phone: 250-763-7161

Fax: 250-763-9116

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Questions call: 250-763-7161

Donations will automatically be recognized online. If you wish your contribution to be anonymous please email info@kelownafoodbank.com

Every amount counts!


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Help us reach our goal of $50,000

Top Cast-a-light Donors

Personal

  1. Cast A Light Auction $7,404.63
  2. Barry Chase $4,000.00
  3. Anonymous $2,139.12

1-25 Employees

  1. Pihl Law Corporation $1,000.00
  2. J Kirby And Co. $600.00
  3. Pandosy Street Developments Ltd $500.00

26-50 Employees

  1. Kel West Carriers Ltd $1,200.00

76-100 Employees

  1. Competition Glass $625.00

Recent Challenges

  • Alana Marrington from Pandosy Street Developments Ltd. puts a challenge out (on behalf of Collett Manor) to all employees and past care recipients in the medical community, as well as those in the golf and hospitality industries.
  • Al Cosar from Kel West Carriers Ltd. puts a friendly challenge out to all transportation companies to match or better their $1200 Cast-A-Light donation.

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Cast-a-light Donors

  • Cast A Light Auction $7404.63
  • Barry Chase $4000.00
  • Anonymous $2139.12
  • Kelowna Pipe Band $2058.74
  • Gerald Goertsen $1500.00
  • Kel West Carriers Ltd $1200.00
  • David Flemming $1000.00
  • Pirjo Boucher $1000.00
  • Pihl Law Corporation $1000.00
  • Richard Skrapek $1000.00
  • Kenneth Phillips $1000.00
  • Nicola Consiglio $1000.00
  • Daryl Klassen $1000.00
  • Colin Axelson $1000.00
  • Competition Glass $625.00
  • J Kirby And Co. $600.00
  • William Farley $600.00
  • Stephen Netzlaw $600.00
  • Janet Morton $500.00
  • Jayne Brooks $500.00
  • Bruce Stone $500.00
  • Judith A Stringer $500.00
  • Bernard Morel $500.00
  • Jorin Wolf $500.00
  • Pandosy Street Developments Ltd $500.00
  • Mary Jane Slavin $500.00
  • Onsite Custom Software $500.00
  • Albert Chu $500.00
  • Joyce Brinkerhoff $500.00
  • Hugh Culver $500.00
  • Donald Greer $500.00
  • Pam Neveu $500.00
  • Shaundra Ihas $500.00
  • Bob Brandes $500.00
  • Tom Kuntz $500.00
  • Michael Sidoni $500.00
  • Cindy Roth $500.00
  • Brian Shepard $336.00
  • Thomas E Wyatt $300.00
  • Geri Davis $250.00
  • Tara Treadgold $250.00
  • Cecile OBrien $200.00
  • Alexander Campbell $200.00
  • Anonymous $200.00
  • Corey Doak $200.00
  • Brian Milligen $200.00
  • David Jones $200.00
  • Ricardo's Mediterranean $200.00
  • Joyce House Bed & Breakfast $200.00
  • Anne O'Keefe $200.00
  • James Berwick $200.00
  • Aaron Jackson $200.00
  • Theresa Leitch $200.00
  • Sandra Backman $190.46
  • Leena Phillips $150.00
  • Loren Tottier $150.00
  • James Robinson $150.00
  • Steve Wahl $135.00
  • Norm Tearoe $125.00
  • Gary Stoutenburg $100.00
  • Terry Hogan $100.00
  • Janet Stein $100.00
  • Dana Osborne $100.00
  • Inder Tumber $100.00
  • Steve Sharman $100.00
  • Sheilagh Livingstone $100.00
  • Keith Alimonti $100.00
  • Geoffrey McLaren $100.00
  • Russ Horton $100.00
  • Christina Coombes $100.00
  • Taylor venden Brink $100.00
  • Richard Provost $100.00
  • Michael Delorme $100.00
  • Cameron McIntyre $100.00
  • James Kay $100.00
  • Donald Searle $100.00
  • Kevin Mcdonnell $100.00
  • Kathy Adie $100.00
  • Dulce Fry $100.00
  • Leslie A Falk $100.00
  • Lori Field $100.00
  • PKW Management $100.00
  • Chris Jenner $100.00
  • Christine Poirier $100.00
  • Caitlyn Liberto $100.00
  • Denise Kristensen $100.00
  • Ken Murray $100.00
  • Jim and Marilyn Ivanitz $100.00
  • Aurora Corcoran $100.00
  • Ena Galloway $100.00
  • James D. Dickie $100.00
  • Darcy and Sonia Provost $100.00
  • Doug Kilgour $100.00
  • Margot Carlyle $100.00
  • Troy Mack $100.00
  • Chris Ridley $100.00
  • Chad Semeniuk $100.00
  • Deborah Wiersma $100.00
  • Christine J. Von Lokvenz $100.00
  • Monika Jaegli $100.00
  • Susanne Hirschmiller $100.00
  • Laurie Lowe $100.00
  • Zoe Bird $100.00
  • Railene Anfuso $100.00
  • Michelle Jamison $100.00
  • Anne Lacey $100.00
  • Janet Sutherland $100.00
  • Kate Carr $100.00
  • Leanna McDonald $100.00
  • Gayle Voyer $100.00
  • Lisa Michelle Taylor $100.00
  • Susan Ruck $100.00
  • Wendy Spence $100.00
  • Darryl Somcher $100.00
  • David Harman $100.00
  • Heather Baker $100.00
  • Leanne Pastore $75.00
  • Donna Kozak $60.00
  • Sellena, Shawn and Karen $60.00
  • Andrea and Ryan Saari $50.00
  • Judy Ronacher $50.00
  • Polly Palmer $50.00
  • BAI Comics $50.00
  • Paul Shearing $50.00
  • Morgan Tranfield $50.00
  • Donaleen Glosser $50.00
  • Sharon Hyatt $50.00
  • Brijesh Mathur $50.00
  • Heather Stoutenburg $50.00
  • Charles Stuart $50.00
  • Meagan Lauer $50.00
  • Denis Beaudry $50.00
  • Sandra Hinterleitner $50.00
  • Tracy Harrison $50.00
  • Patricia Bellamy $50.00
  • Tom Bell $50.00
  • Tamera Sinclair $50.00
  • Christina Street $50.00
  • Tera Pemberton $50.00
  • Lindsay Sill $50.00
  • Gwynne Harries $50.00
  • Keith Gaudreau $50.00
  • Robert Sawatzky $50.00
  • Justin Hettinga $50.00
  • Christopher Krause $50.00
  • Kris Kutny $50.00
  • Adrian Rizzo $50.00
  • Cameron Henry $50.00
  • Katie Rogers $50.00
  • Sandy Nestor $50.00
  • Heather E. Geni $50.00
  • Holly Hudson Bobyn $50.00
  • Shane Worman $50.00
  • Gail Prichard $50.00
  • Meiko Koga $50.00
  • Erin Dickieson $50.00
  • Joyce Doege $50.00
  • Lynsay Pickard $50.00
  • Anonymous $50.00
  • Gordon Guild $50.00
  • Dana Kruiper $50.00
  • Karen Tymchuk $40.00
  • Joel Yanow $36.00
  • David Greenshields $30.00
  • George Grinnell $30.00
  • Ron P. Ruppel $25.00
  • Kelvin Giesbrecht $25.00
  • Carmen Perrett $25.00
  • Mary C Smith $25.00
  • Shelley Stoochnow $25.00
  • Michelle Kooistra $25.00
  • Wealth Win At Home $25.00
  • Roberta Snow $25.00
  • Griffen Seed $25.00
  • Minh Le $20.00
  • Starla Reynolds $20.00
  • Karen Emmond $20.00
  • Carling Benson $20.00
  • Christina D Shaak $20.00
  • Susan Ross $20.00
  • Dennis Bennett $20.00
  • Dixie Beardmore $20.00
  • Corey Sullivan $20.00
  • Adam Goodwin $15.00
  • Brett Slutker $15.00
  • Lydia Ross $10.00
  • Nicholas Mcparland $10.00
  • IKirsten Harrison $10.00
  • Lisa Fennell $10.00
  • Xavier Mendoza $10.00

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About Cast-A-Light

Castanet.net has partnered with the Kelowna Community Food Bank to raise much needed funds, food, and toys for children and families in our community.

Our goal this year is to raise $50,000 with all funds going to programs at the Kelowna Community Food Bank.

Your donation to the fifth annual Cast-A-Light Campaign will provide a brighter future for those less fortunate in our community.
The Kelowna Community Food Bank will acknowledge all gifts to the Cast-A-Light Campaign. Tax receipts are mailed for donations in the amount of $10 or more with addresses provided.

View a Shaw TV segment from our 2007 campaign:




About the Food Bank

The Kelowna Community Food Bank is a self-supporting non-profit organization, raising food and funds through donations, special events, community food drives and local and national sponsors. The Food Bank is operated by a volunteer board of directors, 8 staff members and more than 100 volunteers who contribute over 20,000 hours annually, providing essential services including food collection, distribution and sorting, hamper preparation, client assistance and referrals, and special event planning and fundraising.

The Kelowna Community Food Bank was established in 1983 to provide short-term support to Kelowna families and individuals in need of temporary assistance. Since then the mission has grown to help alleviate chronic hunger and poverty in the Central Okanagan by providing our clients with a 5 to 7 day supply of healthy food on a monthly basis. Annually, we serve more than 30,000 persons including nearly 10,000 children, distributing over $2 million in food.

The Kelowna Food Bank is a member of The BC Association of Food Banks and the Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB).

1265 Ellis Street
Kelowna, BC V1Y 1Z7

Phone: 250-763-7161
Fax: 250-763-9116
Email: info@kcfb.ca
http://www.kelownafoodbank.com/



Family profiles on this page have been provided by the Kelowna Community Food Bank.



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