A generous donation provides a Merrier Christmas for local families

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Christmas is at hand, and families all over this city — thousands of them — are preparing to enjoy a feast they couldn’t otherwise afford.

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They’ll give gifts to their kids that they didn’t have the money to otherwise provide.

This is because the Salvation Army doesn’t want them left behind, doesn’t want them forgotten, and it’s why Sporting Christmas has supported their hamper program every December since 1976.

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Derek Kerr from the Salvation Army said recently that they helped 4,500 families last Christmas — approximately 10,000 children and 6,000 adults — and that the number would grow this year. Inflationary pressures continue to erode financial stability for so many, and it’s why every donated dollar is gratefully received.

Rick and Laurie Hopkinson at Dynamic Glass and Doors are big-hearted people who have given much to our community. Every year, they come through with a very generous cheque for Sporting Christmas, and the $20,000 they’ve sent over this year will generate untold amounts of joy in homes across the city.

“Unfortunately,” write Rick and Laurie, “the need only becomes greater over time, but the Salvation Army continues to step up to the challenge of helping families in need. We are happy to donate to Sporting Christmas again this year. A Huge Heartfelt Thank You goes out to the Salvation Army for their tireless hard work and special efforts in helping families have a Merry Christmas.”

We thank them again, and what they said is very true — the Salvation Army’s work is tireless, their efforts are special, and they just keep on stepping up. Thank you to every person whose donation is listed below — many in memory of special loved ones.

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Our 2024 Sporting Christmas campaign is winding down, but donations always come in for a week or two after Christmas and we’ll make sure to include them all in another update.

In the meantime, we want to thank the Salvation Army for the work it does, and the many people who gave from their own resources to make Christmas merrier for others. What good sports you all are.

We also want to thank those who stepped up, on behalf of their families, and told the Salvation Army they need help. It’s not always an easy thing to do — that first step can be extremely difficult — but by taking it, they done a wonderful thing for themselves and for their children.

Over here at Sporting Christmas headquarters, a big thank you goes to Debbie Fengler, who takes donations and handles the financial side of things and gets everything sent to me efficiently and well.

If you still want to donate, we welcome it — you can do so by visiting thestarphoenix.com/sportingchristmas and clicking the donation link, or by dropping it off at Salvation Army headquarters (38 Bateman Cresc.) You can also mail it to:

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Sporting Christmas
c/o The Salvation Army
38 Bateman Cresc.
Saskatoon, Sask.
S7H 3C4

Thank you to everybody who came to our aid this year, and Merry Christmas to all.

Thanks to today’s Santas:

Sporting Christmas from Buck and Nina in memory of my parents, Bill and Kathy, and brothers Dave and Robert: $100

Remembering my Hockey Buddy: $99

Susan Hanna: $100

Rick and Laurie Hopkinson: $20,000

Memory of my brother Allan Hubbard — “Stopping pucks with the Angels” — from Don Hubbard: $150

Linda Cunningham: $200

Jeannette Ambrose: $125

Memory of Peggy Martin. Love Deane, Stacey and Tim Martin: $100

Today’s total: $20,874

TOTAL TO DATE: $74,504.25

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