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Greetings!
Welcome to the Christmas edition of the Christmas Exchange E-Newsletter. Scroll to the end of the newsletter for your chance to win a prize by answering our Fund Fact question.
Please feel free to forward this e-mail to any individual or organization you think may be interested in receiving our monthly newsletter.
For more information about the Christmas Exchange, click here to visit our website.
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| Thank you Ottawa! |
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We could not have done it without you.
Thanks to the support we received from people like you, 23,750 people in 8,604 families were provided with either a food voucher or hamper from Christmas Exchange this year. In addition, thanks to our centralized database Christmas Exchange coordinated assistance to a further 3,528 families, and referred 11,305 children to the Salvation Army Toy Centre.
The thank you notes are already pouring in from people who have truly been helped by your generous donations...
"It made this Ottawa family feel very lucky and it also gave a little girl the Christmas she deserves."- John
"Your voucher gives me the opportunity to share the wealth with other people who will enjoy it also. Thank you Christmas Exchange."- Jane
"It will be such a help this year in providing all the wonderful yummies for our family's christmas dinner."- Mary
It is our hope that we will be able to increase the dollar value of assistance provide to each family by Christmas Exchange for Christmas 2008. In order to do so we will be holding fundraising events all year long in 2008. Watch for details in future newsletters. |
| How You Can Help |
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Even though we made it through this season, your donations are still important in making sure our program can continue helping those in need in the future. Click on the donation button, or see below on ways of making your donation now.
Gifts of Securities
Donating gifts of securities is the most tax efficient way to make a charitable donation. These include anything from stocks and bonds to mutual funds.
It is now easier than ever to donate gifts of securities. To learn more about gifts of securities and how donating this way benefits you as well as the Christmas Exchange, please click here and scroll down to "Donating Gifts of Securities" to access the information on our website.
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| The Latest News |
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Pennies for Portions Kick-Off Event
Students at the Joan of Arc Academy and players from the Ottawa 67s hockey team joined forces for a special fundraising event in support of Christmas Exchange. The event was the kick-off for the 12th Annual Pennies for Portions fundraising campaign. On Wednesday November 28, all the students in the school had a chance to score a goal against the Ottawa 67s in an exciting ball hockey shootout for $1 per shot. Christmas Exchange Campaign Chair Sandra Blaikie, Anchor, A-Channel News at 6, was on hand to help with the play by play and cheer on the students as they worked hard to score goals. The shootout was a fun and exciting event that raised more than $630 for Christmas Exchange.
Running on Empties
The 18th Annual Running on Empties fundraising event happened on Saturday December 8th at all Ottawa area Beer Stores. Beer Store patrons were asked to donate their empty beer, liquor and wine bottles with all proceeds going towards providing food hampers and food vouchers for those in need this holiday season. Volunteers and VIP guests braved the frigid winter weather to help raise funds for the Christmas Exchange. Special VIP guests who were in attendance include Councillor Peggy Feltmate, Councillor Maria McRae, Councillor Shad Qadri, Councillor Marianne Wilkinson, and Pierre Poilievre, M.P. Nepean-Carleton. This year, the campaign raised $15,000.
Hamper Packing
On Friday December 21st, the Christmas Exchange  along with volunteers and VIP guests were on hand at the Joan of Arc Academy to pack food hampers which were delivered to hundreds of Ottawa families in need. This is the first year the hamper packing has been held at Joan of Arc, and the students were happy to lend a hand and help out for a great cause. VIP guests on hand included Mayor Larry O'Brien, The Hon. Jim Watson, M.P.P. for Ottawa West-Nepean; Alex Cullen, City Councillor; Pat Woodcock, Edmonton Eskimos Wide Receiver; and Melanie Woodcock, former Head Dancer with the Ottawa Renegades Football Team.
More Hamper Pictures:
City Councillor Alex Cullen helps long time volunteer Mike Deschambault pack hampers.
The Hon. Jim Watson and Marilyn Matheson, Excecutive Director of Christmas Exchange lend a hand.
Students of Joan of Arc Academy pitch in.
'Edmonton Eskimos' player Pat Woodcocok and Mayor Larry O'Biren load hampers into cars.
Volunteers Paul Beddoes, Mike Deschambeault and Mayor Larry o"brien view the turkeys ready for the hampers.
Other Fundraising Events
The Executive Chef at the Colonel By Retirement Residence was busy baking delicious truffles and treats for their fundraising campaign "Chocolates for Charity". The residents were able to purchase the chocolates with all proceeds going to Christmas Exchange. This year, "Chocolates for Charity" raised a fantastic $1,620.
For the second year the Canadian Society of Association Executives, Ottawa-Gatineau chapter has made Christmas Exchange the benefiting charity of their annual Christmas silent auction raising over $13,000 to help families in need.
The team at SNC Lavalin ProFac presented Christmas Exchange with a $375  cash donation. They were able to raise the money through the sale of Poinsettia plants to employees.
We would like to thank all organizations who held a fundraising event with proceeds benefiting the Christmas Exchange. |
| Fund Fact |
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Thank you to everyone who participated in November's Fund Fact. The correct answer to our question "How many people did Christmas Exchange help in 2006?" was 22,900.
Congratulations to Karen Byskov whose name was selected in our prize draw. She wins a Memory Book courtesy of Hallmark Davis Agency.
This month's Fund Fact question is:
In 2006, how many children 12 and under did Christmas Exchange refer to the Toy Centre?
a) 12,360
b) 11,023
c) 11,508
d) 10,455
As usual, all of the answers can be found on the website under the About Us section. Reply by January 1st with the correct answer to merryxmas@storm.ca and be entered into a prize draw. | |
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