Eggs, bacon, pastries, and gifts were aplenty at the fourth annual Children’s Wish Breakfast in Langley.
People of all ages donated new, unwrapped toys and/or cash for the Langley Christmas Bureau in exchange for a complimentary breakfast served by Newlands Golf & Country Club staff on Wednesday morning, Nov. 29.
Steffany Botchar brought her three-year-old daughter Payton to the breakfast for the first time.
“It’s important to teach the act of giving. There are kids less fortunate out there,” Botchar said, adding that Payton was excited to picked out the toys for other kids and play Santa.
It was also Katie Seres’ first time bringing her son, JJ, to the breakfast.
“We are trying to teach him the spirit of giving. It’s also important to give to the food bank and those less fortunate,” Seres explained.
To start the breakfast off, Santa and Mrs. Claus were piped through the venue to Santa’s seat, where he was available for pictures throughout the morning.
Live Christmas music was performed on two stages, including by the Langley Ukulele Ensemble and Langley Community Chorus.
Langley City firefighters and Mounties helped pack in donated gifts, and posed for photos with Santa and community members.
A helicopter originally scheduled to do a toy drop-off was cancelled due to the thick fog at the Pitt Meadows airport, so instead Sky Helicopters president Kevin Pearce drove over with his van filled with donated toys.
“We love supporting this [event] every year, and when you’re asked to help with such a special event like this we always say yes,” Pearce said.
After three years of hiatus due to the pandemic, 10-year bureau volunteer Darrin Leite said he’s excited to be back and see the community come out to support the Langley Christmas Bureau.
“Last year when we didn’t have a Christmas breakfast, we had to buy toys. So this year will be great with communities coming out to support the event, and we’re hopefully going to have a lot of toys that we’re able to contribute to families that are in need,” Leite explained.
He estimates last year the bureau helped more than 800 families, totaling almost 2,000 kids.
“We have a means test to make sure we are representing the families that really are in need. We have a toy depot day where the families can pick from the donated toys today,” Leite noted.
For those unable to participate in the breakfast but still wanted to give, Langley City firefighters were set up outside in the parking lot accepting and sorting donations.
“It’s really great to see people out at today’s Langley Children’s Wish Breakfast… it’s really importance because now more than ever, ever family in Langley City and Township needs to have, and deserves to have, a Merry Christmas,” Nathan Pachal said, Langley City mayor.
“We know there’s a lot of need out there.”
Cheque donations were presented by Coast Capital Credit Union, Langley Lions Club, Langley City firefighters, among others.
“I think every child deserves to have a great Christmas. We’ve been volunteering here since 2017, and it gave a huge sense of community to everyone, and our team loves coming back here every year,” said Laura Martini, associate of business making at Coast Capital.
Const. Lisa Cormier of the Langley RCMP has attended the wish breakfast for several years and was glad to return again this year.
“It’s for a great cause and we want to show our appreciation and support for this amazing event,” she said.
It was Const. Randy Taylor’s first time at the breakfast, and he said he was glad to see the large turnout.
About 2,200 breakfasts were served at the event, Leite said Newlands estimated. He said the bureau received $4,640 in cash donations during the event, and more than 2,500 toys were donated – including those from Cascades Casino delivered by Sky Helicopter.
Langley Lions Club also donated $15,688 by cheque.
“Thank you everyone who came out and participated and for donating toys or cash for the Langley Christmas Bureau,” Leite concluded.
See more photos online.
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