Fifty-two years of creating ‘Christmas in a box’ for local families in need

This year marks 52 years for the Whitecourt Christmas Hamper. This volunteer-driven and
community-supported organization brings the joy and spirit of the holidays to everyone, whether
they receive a hamper or donate towards one. No matter what one’s connection is to the
hamper, it’s impossible to be left untouched by the magic of Christmas.
Christmas Hamper chair, Kim Tschigerl, has been volunteering with the organization for over a
decade and continues to return year after year, just as other volunteers do. She said watching
the process take shape, from collecting donations to wrapping the gifts, creating the hampers,
and delivering them to families, is inspiring.
“When you see how much the community donates and gives of their time, it is phenomenal. Our
elves are busily working in the background. These volunteers come and support this program to
give back to their community. It is so inspiring to see all the donations come together in one
place and then get wrapped and sent out to each one of the families. Words cannot express the
inspiration from seeing it all come together.”
Through November and part of December, ambassador businesses place boxes in their
buildings and collect donations from the community. There are five ambassador locations
(REMAX, AJMC, White Wall Wood, Scotia Bank and the Woodlands County office). “We
appreciate our ambassadors who keep track of those bins for us and let us know when they are
full so we can have volunteers pick them up. We could not do it without them,” said Tschigerl.
“The business challenge down at REMAX is bringing in a lot. Their front foyer is already filling
up quickly. That challenge has inspired businesses to come together and bring in toys for the
children of Whitecourt. It’s phenomenal to see. Our hearts are filled with joy when we see all of
them coming together and donating to the community. It stays in the community. It’s just
awesome,” she added.
Families in need, with children at home, can apply in person to the Whitecourt Christmas
Hamper and receive what they need to bring the holidays home. Not only do hampers include
gifts for each family member, but they also include gift cards, enabling families to purchase what
they need for Christmas dinner. “It’s a wide gamut of items coming together for them. It’s not just
toys. It’s so much more than that,” she said.
Tschigerl said everything comes together on Thursday, December 12, as ATCO volunteers
collect the donations at the ambassador locations and drop them off at the United Church. The
very next morning, the Christmas Hamper elves start ‘shopping’ for each family on the list from
the donations and wrap everything up. “The gifts are personally picked out by our volunteers,”
said Tschigerl.
The longest-running hamper helper is Phyllis Tomlinson, one of the founders 52 years ago. She
retired from the front lines two years ago when the hamper celebrated 50 years of magic.
Tschigerl said she hopes Tomlinson can make it in for a visit on wrapping day and enjoy one of
the best parts.
For those looking to grab some gifts for the hamper, Tschigerl said they often struggle with gifts
for kids between ages 9-11. “Those pre-teenage ages are always ones we struggle with. A

bigger set of LEGOs is always a good draw for those kids. We always include family games, so
age-appropriate games are a good suggestion. We also have a craft or activity for each of the
kids.”
To those who donated, Tschigerl said the words thank you aren’t big enough to express the
gratitude shared by volunteers. And the same for families who shop together and have made
donations a yearly tradition. “It leads into many generations and puts that generosity on our next
and future generations. It’s huge.”
She said even businesses not donating physical items play a significant role by donating gift
and meal cards. “You would not believe how the businesses in Whitecourt have a hand in what
is going on with this program. Your heart melts because you know everything is going out into
our community, and it’s pretty spectacular.”
Though each family does things a little differently when they receive their hamper, whether they
keep it a secret until Christmas Day or let their kids see it arrive, Tschigerl said there has been
some special moments over the years for the delivery drivers who come back every year and
help. “That’s their way of giving back to the community. They love doing it. We have heard
stories where children have seen the boxes come in and the overwhelming joy that the delivery
people get to see in that moment.”
Interviews happen at the Whitecourt United Church (5201 – 50 Street), and there are only two
left- Thursday, December 5, from 7-9 pm and Saturday, December 7, from 12-3 pm. Tschigerl
said one member of the family that knows details about the needs and situation is all who needs
to come in. “We are asking for them to bring Alberta Health Care cards for everyone and proof
of residency to prove they live in Whitecourt or Woodlands County. They can bring in a power
bill or something that shows their physical address.”
Tschigerl said she hopes families in need take full advantage of the opportunity and allow
themselves to feel the love of their community this holiday season. A town-sized hug, if you will.
“It’s the hardest step anyone can take. That’s who we are trying to reach- those who have
difficulty feeling like they can come. We want them to know that they are more than welcome.
We want them there. There’s nothing to keep them from walking through those doors. We have
a welcoming environment, and we want to see them. We want to help them in the best way
possible.”