Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
Smoky River Family and Community Support Services is thrilled with a donation from a local club that will help make peoples’ lives a little warmer this Christmas.
FCSS director Crystal Tremblay says the Jéan Côté Quilting Club donated 23 quilts to the Christmas Voucher Program to help provide a little comfort to those who need it most. She says this is a gift that recipients appreciate to receive.
“Last year we gave a quilt to one of our applicants, he started to cry because he recognized the love and generosity the quilt represented and had never received a gift of such treasure,” says Tremblay.
“Our applicants are so grateful for the love and time that is put into these quilts,” she adds. “These quilts represent different things to different people, but there is nothing better than wrapping up in a warm blanket that is made with love.”
Tremblay says the Christmas Voucher Program normally helps between 60-70 families each year, and any donations are truly appreciated to help facilitate this program.
“We give the quilts to people who apply for the Christmas Voucher program,” she says. “We keep a list of past recipients so that we can share the love to different people each year.”
Tremblay says the club has been donating quilts for quite some time, and this donation is truly appreciated by FCSS and all of the recipients of the quilts.
“They started donating the quilts to Peace River years ago, until they saw the Smoky River FCSS was doing the same program and decided to support the local residents and have been donating them ever since,” says Tremblay of the group.
“We will be handing out the vouchers Dec. 13-15 to approved applicants.”
Tremblay explains the program is fully funded through donations that are received from the public each year. She says FCSS could not afford to fund the program without the generous support of community members.
“There is an application process that we have applicants go through, and we ask them to provide their income and expenses to prove need of the program,” says Tremblay.
“Each family will receive a voucher to spend at one of our two grocery stores in Falher, the amounts are based on the size of the family. Any youth aged 0-16 are given gifts donated through the Red Apple, ATB or Smoky River FCSS office, and some adults or babies are given the quilts as the supplies last.”
Tremblay says FCSS accepts donations, new unwrapped gifts, and other items throughout the year to facilitate the program. If you are interested in helping one of Smoky River FCSS’s programs, please phone Tremblay at (780) 837-2220.