The Bonnyville Centralized High School's Santa's Elves program wrapped up for another year in Bonnyville last week.
Students and staff from Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS), along with community volunteers gathered in the school's gymnasium on Dec. 17 to wrap all of the toys donated by the community over the past month.
“It's a great thing, if I'm ever not feeling Christmas-y, by the end of the wrapping party I always am,” said Greg King, a staff member at BCHS.
“I come every year, it's my favourite day of the year,” he added.
The group wrapped gifts for a total of 343 children in the community – 188 girls and 155 boys.
Organizer and teacher Janice Zazulak said it took a while for the donations to really start coming in, but in the end the community really came through.
“It was a little slow at the beginning but then it started piling the last couple of weeks, it's been a wonderful turnout from the community…I'm probably guessing 2,500 (gifts) at least.”
The Santa's Elves program, which has been going on since the 1970's, was open to students in all grades. The group put out donation boxes in businesses around Bonnyville for people to drop off unwrapped toys, the Santa's Elves committee of staff and students then collected the toys and organized them into different age groups.
Grade 11 student at BCHS Cassidy Quantz said it's her first year helping with Santa's Elves and she would definitely do it again.
“When the community comes out to help it makes everybody know that the community is there when you need them, it makes people know that others are looking out for them.”
Zazulak said they had a great reception for the wrapping party from both students and community members.
“At 3:25 we had a huge line of kids wanting to come in…There's lots of people that keep pouring in from the community, tons of students and they're really getting the message out there about what Christmas is all about: giving.”
Amanda Sogge, a Grade 12 students at BCHS, has been helping out with Santa's Elves for two years and said it's a great event, even for the younger kids.
“I really like giving back to the community and especially working with the young kids that come out to help wrap, they really know that they're doing a good thing,” said Sogge.
“I've come every year for the last six years…first of all it's really fun and it's a wonderful opportunity to give gifts to people that are less fortunate and help out people that might not have the same opportunities,” said local resident Rebekah Donaldson.
She added, “It just makes you feel good inside.”
After the wrapping party was over, the gifts were collected by the Knights of Columbus and distributed on Saturday. Zazulak said food hampers are also given out with the gift bags to families who have registered with the Friendship Centre of Knights of Columbus.
But Santa's Elves isn't just for those receiving the gifts, Zazulak said it's an opportunity to teach the students at BCHS about the spirit of Christmas.
“It's really important for the students to know what Christmas is all about and participate in giving what they can for the community.”