As many of you now know, Jan Glyde recently retired from the Christmas Exchange, and is spending her summer "contemplating how I might best serve the community in my silver age”.

We are very pleased to have Stephanie MacWhirter filling the position of Director of Development. Stephanie brings with her a wealth of experience in the field of fundraising. Click on Stephanie's picture to learn more about her extensive work with various Halifax non-profits.

The Christmas Exchange’s Annual General Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Event was held on June 7th from 5:30pm-7:00pm at Tudor Hall. A-Channel’s Sandra Blaikie assisted in the awards ceremony, which recognized the contributions of 22 local businesses, churches and agencies during the 2005 campaign.

The event also honoured the many volunteers whose selfless contributions make our work at the Christmas Exchange possible. This year’s volunteer gift was sponsored by Green Thumb Garden Centre. Their selection of potted herbs was extremely popular among attendees, both for their utility and fragrance. Thank you Green Thumb for your generous contribution!

Thank you to our many distinguished Patrons who supported the Christmas Exchange through its 90th Anniversary Celebrations. This year, we are pleased to welcome back numerous top-notch supporters, including our 2006 Campaign Chairs Pat Woodcock and Melanie Reid- Woodcock. Although temporarily located in Edmonton, where Pat is playing with the Edmonton Eskimos, they will be back in plenty of time to lend their energy and enthusiasm to our 2006 Campaign.

The Christmas Exchange extends our heartfelt thanks to those members of the board who will be leaving us this year:

Timothy J. Grieve, LLB, who helped guide us through the new privacy laws; Mary Kay Knoll, who has served as our Treasurer for the past several years; and John Jarvis, who as the Manager of the Westin Ottawa ensured that the Christmas Cheer Breakfast was a great success each year.

We welcome three new faces to our Board of Directors:

Donna MacGregor, a Chartered Accountant with Collins Barrow, will be serving as our Treasurer; Sean Caulfeild - Lawyer/Avocat, who works with Perley-Robertson LLP, brings his valuable legal advice to the Board; and Réjean (Rej) Saumure, a past beneficiary of the Christmas Exchange and last years spokesperson, is Advertising Service Manager at the Ottawa Citizen.

On July 28th, Christmas in the Capital came earlier than usual for thousands of OC Transpo commuters. The Christmas Exchange hosted its first ever Breakfast BBQ at Hurdman station. Enbridge’s Christmas in July in Support of the Christmas Exchange was a resounding success, benefiting from Ottawa’s generosity as well as the support of our sponsors, Enbridge, A-Channel, Loeb, and OC Transpo. Santa Claus himself came out to enjoy the festivities, joining a host of volunteers including City Counselors, VIP guests and A-Channel personalities who served a free breakfast to Ottawa commuters. Donations were encouraged in return for the hot meal, with all proceeds going to the Christmas Exchange.

Our thanks to all of the sponsors and volunteers who helped make our first annual Christmas in July Breakfast BBQ such a success. A big thank you also goes out to the countless Ottawa residents who support the Christmas Exchange. Your generosity on July 28th helped us to raise almost $900 That’s enough money to purchase 12 food hampers for area families in need, providing special meals for almost 60 people this holiday season. Thank you Ottawa! We look forward to your continuing support as we enter our 91st year of giving.

Last year’s 90th Anniversary Gala was a magnificent success, introducing us to countless new supporters and patrons. Building on last years achievements, our Second Annual Gala Dinner will take place October 14th at the Ottawa Congress Centre. Hosted by A-Channel’s Sandra Blaikie and featuring entertainment by the Royal Canadian Air Farce’s Luba Goy, this year’s Gala promises to be the highlight of the season.

There are still several sponsorship opportunities available, so take advantage of this unique chance to gain unparalleled promotion while supporting a worthy cause.

On October 7th the Christmas Exchange will be hosting our 6th Annual Ottawa’s Biggest Bake Sale at the Nepean Sportsplex from 9:30am-12:30pm. This year we’re adding a multicultural twist to the traditional Thanksgiving fare, with various cultural organizations in attendance.

Additionally, keep your eyes peeled for VIP guests; last year both MP John Baird and MPP Jim Watson were in attendance, and rumour has it even more local personalities will be making an appearance in 2006.

There is still space for several more organizations to sign on as a bake sale participant, so get your registration in before it’s too late! We also still have an exclusive opportunity for your company to be Presenting Sponsor of the Bake Sale, a position accompanied by premium advertising and promotional advantages. With lots of fun to be had by all, this is one bake sale you don’t want to miss!

Are you, or someone you know, looking for an opportunity to meet new people, give back to the community, and learn new skills? If you answered yes to any of the above, than you’re the perfect candidate for a volunteer at the Christmas Exchange!

We’re always looking for motivated, energetic people to volunteer in a variety of capacities around the office and at our events. Please contact Stephanie at smxmas@storm.ca, or by phone at 613-226-6434 ext 230 for more information.

Did you know that in 2005 we saved the community $187,425 by identifying and eliminating duplicate requests for food hampers through our database?

Approximately how much money have we saved the community through eliminating duplicates since 2000?

a) $250,000 b) $500,000 c) $750,000 d) $1,000 000 +

The answer to the Fund Fact can be found in the “About Us” section of the Christmas Exchange website at www.christmas-exchange.com. Submit your answer to the merryxmas@storm.ca. Correct answers will be entered in a draw and have the chance to win a fun prize from the Christmas Exchange, with the winner announced in next month’s e-newsletter.