LAC LA BICHE - The spirit of giving "The Perfect Gift" is continuing, even though the delivery method changed this year.
Hundreds of toys for girls and boys were recently dropped off at Lac La Biche's Hope Haven Women's Shelter and the Lac La Biche Firefighters Society Santa's Helpers from members of the local New Life Victory Fellowship Church.
Pastor Angie Werk bundled and delivered six large sacks of toys to each of the local organizations. The toys were part of the church's most recent Perfect Gift Store inventory.
The Perfect Gift Store operated during the holiday seasons of 2019 to 2021, accepting donated new toys that were then put onto shelves in a downtown pop-up storefront and given away for free to needy families. The gifts were also Christmas-wrapped free of charge for families if needed. Although The Perfect Gift Store wasn't operating this Christmas season due to several unavoidable factors — including staff availability to help with the incredible success of the project — it was that same success that kept the giving spirit alive.
"We had so much left over from last year," said Werk, explaining that community donations continued to pour in after the last of the families on last year's list had been helped. "Because of some people being just so generous, we had an over-abundance."
Knowing they were going to have trouble finding volunteer staff, as well as dealing with the after-effects of the global pandemic and economic challenges in and around the community, church officials opted to "pause" the gift store project this year ... but continue to share.
"We were just happy to be able to pay forward all of that charity and giving," said Werk.
Immediate need
Lory Morgan, the executive director at Hope Haven, was pleased to be included in the charity. Speaking to the newly-hired shelter boss on Dec. 20, Lakeland This Week asked her just what the donation of toys means to clients and staff at the shelter. She said it means everything.
"We have a mother fleeing a home with five children coming to us in the next 15 minutes — just days before Christmas, and she leaves with only her children. We can offer them a Christmas," she said, explaining that the toys will be wrapped and put under a tree for any families staying at the shelter over the holidays. "We can try to help them enjoy something as a family."
Other toys delivered to the shelter will be given to the shelter's outreach workers to deliver to needy families and clients they deal with in the community.
The donations from Werk and the New Life Victory Fellowship are part of a large out-pouring Morgan has been seeing in her few weeks at Hope Haven — and she knows it's based on a history of support for the shelter.
"We see so much support from the community," she said, describing recent financial donations from area industrial companies like Canadian Natural and Cenovus, as well as donated grocery gift cards and food. "The need is there ... and so is that support."
Morgan credits the Hope Haven staff, volunteers and supporters for their efforts during the unique challenges of the holiday season, and every day.
"We have an amazing team," she said, "who help those around them put their best foot forward during challenging times."
When asked how staff and clients make it through the pressures of the shelter and the holidays, Morgan said with support like the recent toy donation.
"It's one day at a time, one hour at a time ... we do it with smiles wherever we can ... and lots of support from the community."
The toys delivered to the Santa's Helpers group will be part of the annual hamper deliveries made by volunteers to needy families. Some of the donations — like the ones originally given to The Perfect Gift Shop — will also be used next year.
Werk hopes the New Life Victory Fellowship will continue with The Perfect Gift Shop in the coming years, perhaps adjusting some of its parameters, but keeping the true spirit of giving at its core
"We continue to trust that God provides for people in need," she said.
