Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
Smoky River Family and Community Support Services is elated after a local club donated quilts to help make people’s lives a little cozier and warmer this Christmas.
FCSS director Crystal Tremblay says the Jean Cote Quilting Club donated 17 quilts to the Christmas Voucher Program to help provide a little comfort to those who need it most.
She adds this annual donation by the quilting club provides a gift that recipients appreciate receiving each year.
“I want to send out a huge thanks to the Jean Cote Quilting Club,” says Tremblay, explaining that their quilts add a little extra magic to the Christmas Voucher program each winter.
“This year, Carol Parker, Marie Dubois, Rosa Galligan, Hugette Turcotte, Paulette Laflamme, Charlotte Kealy, Irene Lemire, and Theresa St. Germaine made 17 beautiful quilts that will be handed out to voucher recipients.”
Tremblay says the Christmas Voucher Program normally helps between 50-70 families each year, and any donations are truly appreciated to help facilitate the program.
Tremblay adds at this juncture, there are only 23 applicants, however; she says the majority of the applications come in closer to the deadline because people are so busy trying to make ends meet that Christmas just isn’t a focus in their daily lives.
Deadline to apply for the Christmas Voucher program is Dec. 6, and FCSS will hand them out on Dec. 11.
The gifts include a gift certificate to spend at a local grocery store, with $100 given to individuals and $300 to families up to six people.
In addition to the voucher, Falher’s Red Apple also does a Toy Drive for the program, which is requiring donations. Tremblay says gifts for teenagers and babies are often in demand because they are not the most commonly donated. Potential gifts for teenagers can include hoodies, earphones and speakers, sporting equipment, gift cards, hair stuff or makeup.
She says the donated quilts will also be added to the gifts provided to the family.
“These quilts mean so much to all who receive them, and we are incredibly thankful for all of their hard work,” Tremblay says.
“We keep a record of which families have received them in the past and give the quilts to those who have the highest need for them each year.”
If you would like to donate to the program or would like to apply for the assistance, please phone Smoky River FCSS at (780) 837-2220. Financial donations can also be made at the Town of Falher office, where tax receipts can be provided.