Hundreds of hampers spreading holiday cheer in the Comox Valley
More than 500 households in the Comox Valley received a fresh supply of food and gifts Wednesday morning as part of an annual Christmas hamper campaign.
“The camaraderie is fantastic," says Brenda Latta, who has volunteered with the annual hamper drive for the past eight years.
"We are also in the stage of our life where we have the time and the joy to do so."
She’s part of the volunteer team that includes her husband, Steve Latta.
“There is a core of us of about 20 or 25," he says. "We have a bunch of volunteers that show up that have done this in the past on this specific day, so they kind of know what they have to do."
The annual appeal began back in the 1980s in a private home and then expanded to warehouses under a pair of realtors.
"Brent and Donna Cunliffe did a fantastic job but they were realtors at the same time and they found it hard," says lead volunteer Ken Jones. "The first year, my wife and I, we volunteered and we helped in the warehouse and at the end of that year Brent said to me, ‘Ken, I would like you to run it from now on.'"
Jones says preparations for the hampers begins in September and includes community support by businesses like Canadian Tire, which offers up reusable totes on a two-for-one basis, as well as schools that collect many of the donated food items.
Jones says 556 hampers were distributed this year and that’s about the maximum the volunteers can handle.
“It’s about where we really want to be," he says.
The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on volunteers assembling the hampers, according to Brenda. But she says the group has rebounded.
"Almost everyone is back now,” she says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.