7th Annual Saanichton Community Christmas Event – Collects Food & Raises Money for Sidney Lions Food Bank

Free Community Event – December 10th, 2011

Saanichton, B.C. – The Village of Saanichton is hosting its 7th Annual Saanichton Community Christmas on Saturday December 10th, 2011. The event will raise much need food and money for the Sidney Lions Food Bank. Last year food donations exceeded $4200 in food and cash donations. ‘This is clearly one of the best fundraising events for us during December, and it really reminds people that our work reaches everyone on the Saanich Peninsula’, commented Bev Elder operations manager of the Sidney Lions Food Bank, ‘We wanted to offer a Drive-Thru option this year for those who don’t make it to Sidney often’. This year the Sidney Lions will have their truck on hand to accept food and cash donations from residents of the Saanich Peninsula who would like to help keep the shelves stocked. ‘The food bank has seen demand sky-rocket this year’ stated volunteer organizer Jim Townley, ‘This past year has been especially difficult for many people on the Peninsula, and the Food Bank has seen a 50% increase in demand on their food stores, with the number of people depending on the Sidney Lions Food Bank reaching the 1100 customers per month mark’.

What started out as a simple ‘Free Photo with Santa & the Goats’ with a donation to the food bank idea, has now grown into a fun and interactive Saanichton Village event. In the second year, more businesses added prizes which brought the attendance to well over 300 and further showed the long-term potential. ‘It was in the 3rd year when the Saanichton Village Association ‘SVA’ came onboard and we added the Christmas Tree Trail that we really started to see things take-off’ smiled Tim Flatter, volunteer organizer of the event, ‘The Christmas Tree Trail has now become a Peninsula Family Tradition for many’. The Christmas Tree Trail is where the children take a map of the Saanichton Village and go around visiting various participating merchants getting a stamp (& maybe a treat) to show they visited each location. At the end of the Tree Trail, the children (big and small) get a ballot to vote for their favorite tree and another ballot to enter the draw for the many great prizes. ‘This year we have over $1000 in prizes to give away, with the Grand Prize being a weekend for 2 at ‘Inn On The Sea’, donated by ‘Escape Vacations’ which operates here in Saanichton’, notes Townley a volunteer organizer of the event, ‘The prizes also include original art from Doug Lafortune a well known native artist from the Tsawout reserve, many different baskets, gift certificates, and many more great items’.

In the 4th year of the event, 2 local well known businesses wanted to add more of a fun factor, so came the addition of the horse drawn carriage rides. Anne Monto of ‘Genesis Hair & Esthetics’ and Jim Laing of ‘Laing’s Lock & Key’ combined forces to fund this component. ‘Christmas is all about the kids’, laughs Anne, ‘Kids love horses and the magical presence they bring’. The horse drawn carriages tour the village bringing people from one end to the other and provides an amazing contrast to the village. ‘What I really liked was the fact that you got a chance to talk to the other people that you were on the ride with. This made for a really friendly feel for the day’, smiles Jim Laing. The event last year had an attendance of almost 700, with over 250 kids and adults going on the Christmas Tree Trail alone ! The SVA is once again involved for the 3rd year in a row and likes the feel that is gives to the residents who attend. ‘We’ve worked really hard to make Saanichton feel like a Village over the past few years’, states Jan Carroll of the SVA, ‘The SVA is committed to enhancing the Saanichton core and this event showcases the combined efforts of merchants and residents working together, which is what will make the Village successful in the long-term’.

For this 5th year of the event, a ‘Pancake Breakfast’ by donation and ‘Live Music’ have been added to the growing number of activities. ‘We wanted to include something that showcased the food aspect a little better than just the complimentary baked goods we’ve offered in the past. The Lions Club does a lot of great work locally and they’ve teamed-up with St. Mary’s church to provide this exciting new piece from 9-11 a.m. that day’ says Flatter, ‘We might even see some of the Central Saanich Councilors flipping some of the pancakes for the kids ?’. The live music will start at 11 a.m. and will feature a local group called ‘Fine Spirits’. ‘These musicians are not only talented but fun’, bellows Jack Frost, ‘They played at the Peninsula Country Market this past summer, which my brother Heat Miser organized, and he told me they had the crowd jumping with their great energy’.

This year the Saanichton Community welcomes the support of the ‘Peninsula Celebrations Society’ who have stepped forward to help this incredibly fun family event.

Jack Frost invites you to attend the 7th Annual Saanichton Community Christmas, which is quickly becoming a ‘Peninsula Family Tradition’ this year with free coffee, hot chocolate, apple cider, baked goods, biscotti, Free Photos with Santa (with a food donation), Live Music, The Christmas Tree Trail, Horse & Carriage Rides, The Grinch & Cindy Lu, Jack Frost (the event organizer), The Ice Queen, Ms. Claus, Elves from the North Pole, The Central Saanich Volunteer Fire Department, and Police, and of course Santa, all topped off with a traditional pancake breakfast served up by local Lions…you couldn’t ask for a better community day in Saanichton Village, on the beautiful Saanich Peninsula.

You won’t want to miss this event !

Chills,
Jack Frost