150 less fortunate Airdrie children will be getting a Christmas gift, goodies and a party to celebrate the season thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Airdrie - Foothills.  

The Kiwanis Toy Party is the signature project for the Airdrie club, according to President Lenore Green.  

"We raise money for it throughout the year. The mandate of Kiwanis is to improve the lives of children. We believe that Kiwanis needs children. It's a fun event because we host 150 children, children that would not otherwise have the same sort of Christmas."

This is the fourth time the Airdrie Kiwanis have hosted the event at Wal-Mart in Airdrie. Green says they enlist Santa Claus to help with the event. They have treats from Tim Horton's, the kids receive a bag of goodies for each child and the Calgary Hitmen also help out with stuffed animals from their Teddy Bear Toss game.  

"We give each child a $40 limit and they shop for their own gift.  It's for children zero through 14.  The older kids can select a CD or t-shirt."

The 150 children who take part in the event are referred to the Kiwanis by Community Links who Green says they have an excellent partnership with. 

"130 children are being referred to us by Community Links and 20 are from the Boy's and Girl's Club."

The Airdrie Kiwanis club is not a large one with only 18 members, but, according to Green, every one of them is involved in the event. 

"It's a fun event for the members as well and we get all of the members coming out that day.  We greet the children and we assist them in the toy department to pick a gift that's age-appropriate and price appropriate and we help them with the treats."

The party will take place at Wal-Mart the morning of Sunday, December 3rd. For the Kiwanis members, the experience is humbling.

"Some of the children have told us that's the only Christmas celebration they have. Some of the parents have come to me and said, 'thank you, I don't know what we were going to do this year.'  It's tough times for a lot of families."

Green says the Airdrie club supports other things that benefit children in the community. 

"We support the Airdrie Library children's programming and the Airdrie Food Bank. We've passed a motion to donate some money to the Navy Cadets that are just getting established in Airdrie.  We look for other opportunities where there's a need connected to children."

Green also says that the Kiwanis Club has recently donated $9,500 to Airdrie POWER, the group trying to establish a women's shelter in the city.

 

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