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Book donations make the holidays brighter

A special Langley Advance publication with Christmas carols and cookie recipes was a huge hit at the Magic of Christmas parade in Langley.
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Bureau elves Donalda Whaites and Velma MacAllister are grateful for the community’s help.

It is heart-wrenching to imagine a Langley child waking up Christmas morning to no new toys, no tree, no festive feast, and no holiday cheer.

But due to financial hardships, that could be a real likelihood for more and more families in the community this Christmas.

Fortunately, that reality might be averted for most this holiday season, thanks of the hardworking elves (all volunteers) at the Langley Christmas Bureau and the generous people of Langley, said Donalda Whaites, the bureau’s toy depot coordinator for the past 11 years.

“The need is always there, and I think it gets greater every year,” she said, noting 776 families and 1,750 kids received help through the bureau last year.

Sadly, she said, those numbers are predicted to climb in 2016.

That’s a lot of people in this community who otherwise would have had a difficult time during the Christmas season, and Whaites said she’s always excited to be part of making the season a little brighter for so many.

To help ensure there is enough food (not only a Christmas meal, but food for about a week) for an anticipated 800-plus families in need and toys for more than 2,000 kids, the Langley Advance is once again partnering with Real Canadian Superstore and you.

Every cent from the sale of these Cookies & Carols songbooks will be donated to the Langley Christmas Bureau.

Efforts like this make a difference, so that the bureau can make sure struggling local families have what they need for Christmas – not just for the day but for the season, Whaites said.

It’s a pretty rewarding for Superstore manager Joe Viana to be involved in this and other efforts to make the holidays merrier for everyone in Langley.

“I think, as a grocery store, we have a responsibility to reach out to the community and be involved,” he said.

To learn more about the Langley Christmas Bureau, people can call 604-530-3001, visit the registration centre and toy depot at 20702 Eastleigh Cres., or go online to langleychristmasbureau.com.

Your donation for these books will help this non-profit organization continue its great work.So, in advance, Viana and Langley Advance publisher Lisa Farquharson wish to express their heartfelt thanks for your generosity.

CAPTION: Langley Christmas Bureau had a float in the parade, plus the Langley Advance team was handing out the Cookies & Carol books and collecting donations of change for the cause.



Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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