It’s cold out there and you can help make life a lighter warmer and brighter for our residents in-need. On February 20th, a team from SOS will be walking in the Coldest Night of the Year, where funds raised will go directly to supporting local homeless initiatives. But we need your help. Please visit this link to make a donation to this very worthy cause. Thank you!
Glorious gowns and dapper tuxes often make one grand appearance and then never see the light of day again. The SOS Gradwear program is hoping to make use of those threads and at the same time help make grad a memorable event for our local students.Grads simply need to call 240-248-2093 ext 232 and set up a private shopping appointment at the SOS Child, Youth and Family Centre in Parksville.
Check out our Facebook Page to see some of this year’s stock: www.facebook.com/sosgradwear
Hanging on to gown or tux that could make a local grad or their date extremely happy? We’d love to take it off your hands. Please drop donations off at 245 West Hirst Ave. Parksville (at the SOS Child, Youth and Family Centre) Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Caring for Kids, Families and Individuals at Christmas
SOS provided a record amount of Christmas gifts for local children in 2015.
The Caring for Kids at Christmas program has been running for 47 years in this community, and in 2015 a total of 1,151 children in District 69 received a special gift at Christmas, up from 999 children the previous year.
The SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas program is for low income families and individuals in District 69. The program provides new gifts for children and local grocery store gift cards for adults, so all our residents can experience some joy at Christmas.
The number of households the SOS Christmas program assisted in 2015 was 874, down slightly from 900 in 2014. Adults who received grocery store gift cards through the program in 2015 numbered 1,184, similar to 2014, when 1,189 local adults received support from the program.
SOS had a fundraising goal of $110,000 and Christmas program donations totaled $104,577 in 2015 thanks to the generous support of community members.
Gift donations to the SOS Christmas program were outstanding in 2015. Over 1,500 gifts were collected from the Tigh-Na-Mara Toy Drive, dozens of local businesses hosted Angel Trees and brought in over 1,000 gifts for the program, a record high. Hundreds more were brought in from the Silver Spur Toy Ride, and residents, groups and service clubs consistently brought in gifts for childrenand youth throughout the holiday season.
SOS would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all its supporters in 2015. Together we created magic for our residents in-need at Christmas, and we provided positive support through programming and outreach throughout the year. We look forward to working with our community members throughout to further our vision of a healthy and vibrant community.
The Oceanside Midget Generals Hockey Team is helping make our community healthy and happy. The team and its managers and volunteers recently donated $750 to two SOS programs: The SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas program, which ensures local children have a special gift to unwrap Christmas morning, and that adults enjoy a meaningful meal over the holidays, as well as the Recreation Assistance Program, which enables local children and youth to enroll in recreation activities.
A new, free dance class is being offered at the SOS Child, Youth & Family Centre in Parksville starting in January. The class is called Groove & Move and is aimed at Grades 1 through 3. Children will enjoy a mixture of ballet, jazz and hip hop, along with stretching, technique, fun movement and imagination activities.
Melanie Peake has volunteered to teach the class at SOS. She has been dancing since the age of 3 and has a strong passion and love for the arts (dance, singing and acting). Melanie believes that dance should be fun, high energy and accessible to everyone.
The classes will run every Thursday from 3:30-4:15 starting Jan. 14 until Feb. 25 (7 sessions). No formal attire is required. Students can wear comfortable clothes to dance in,bare feet or runners. Parents can drop their children off for the class. There is a small room for parents to wait with other siblings if they wish to stay.
Space is limited for the class. Please call 250-248-2093 ext. 242 to pre-register.
| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Toys | 1,536 | 1,6662 | 1,827 |
| Gift Cards | $3,815.95 | $2,615.00 | $2,165.00 |
| Cash and cheques | $6,373.50 | $3,732.01 | $1,471.25 |
