Saturday December 10, 2022 | SOOKE, BC [updated from Nov 24, 2022 post]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Holiday season action by the Sooke Firefighter’s Association and IAFF Local 4841 includes their Charitable Giving Campaign.
The 2022 Campaign has launched with a goal to support more than 400 local families in the Sooke area.
The campaign is delivered in partnership with the Sooke Christmas Bureau, the District of Sooke, and the two main grocery stores in town: Western Foods, and Village Foods.
Campaign goal $56,000:
A goal has been set for $56,000. The value of each monetary donation will be matched through the purchasing power of the Sooke Food Bank thanks to local support from Western Foods and Village Foods.
People and businesses who can contribute are asked to do so through the Sooke Firefighters for the Christmas Bureau Go Fund Me page, set up by the Sooke Firefighter’s Association and IAFF Local 4841 on behalf of the Sooke Christmas Bureau.
The GoFundMe page was launched on November 17, and a week later shows 13 donations totaling $950 (or 6.3% of the $15,000 online donation goal). Then at December 10, the 33 donations made online tally to $2,995.
The original goal on the GoFundMe page was $15,000, but now the goal is $8,000. (Funds are only paid out if the campaign reaches its goal.)
The campaign is led by local firefighters who, along with other District staff, volunteer their time for both the fundraiser and Santa Run.
Santa Run community tradition:
Plans for the Sooke Santa Run, a capstone of the Sooke Firefighters Charitable Giving Campaign that warms the hearts of families, is set to continue.
On Saturday, December 10, starting at dusk, four fire trucks decorated with bright and colourful Christmas lights, playing festive holiday will drive through Sooke area neighbourhoods to spread holiday cheer.
Monetary donations for those wishing to contribute can be made along the route. Contributions can also be made through the Sooke Firefighters for the Christmas Bureau Go Fund Me page at any time.
See the 2022 Santa Parade routes and follow the trucks in real time online on Saturday evening, December 10.
Those in need are asked to apply before December 1st
The Sooke Christmas Bureau is encouraging families and individuals who need an extra hand this upcoming holiday season to apply for their Christmas hampers by Thursday December 1. Families can apply at Sooke Family Resource Centre at 6672 Wadams Way, or at the Sooke Food Bank in the Sooke Community Hall at 2037 Shields Rd.
The Sooke Food Bank is open to receive hamper applications:
- November 17, 9:30 am to 2:45 pm
- November 21-25, 8:30 am to 9:30 am
Sooke firefighters over the years:
Over its 29-year history, the Sooke Firefighters Charitable Giving Campaign has supported over 6,500 families.
Sooke Fire Dept Chief and Director of Community Safety is Ted Ruiter. Captains are Chris McCrea and Cam Norris-Jones. The position of Deputy Chief/Emergency Program Coordinator is presently open.
Earlier this month, the Sooke Firefighters finalized a 4-year deal with the District of Sooke, retroactive to January 2020.
Sooke Santa Parade on Dec 4:
The 2022 Sooke Santa Parade will run along Highway 14 (Sooke Road) on Sunday December 4, from 5 to 6 pm (from Sooke Elementary to Townsend Road). Pre- and post-parade activities at the Evergreen Shopping Centre. | Island Social Trends Links: Community Calendar | Traffic info.
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends posts socioeconomic news insights at islandsocialtrends.ca and offers both a Free ENews and a Premium Subscription to keen news readers.
The editor of Island Social Trends is Mary P Brooke who began writing about the Sooke region 15 years ago with her first local news publication MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010), then the weekly Sooke Voice News (2011-2013).
That series then morphed into the weekly colour print/PDF West Shore Voice News (2014-2020). Island Social Trends emerged from that, entirely online at islandsocialtrends.ca in mid-2020.
