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By Pete McIntyre

18th annual

Gifts needed for Children’s Christmas Gift House

Nov 17, 2023 | 12:00 PM

A Vernon program that allows children to pick out gifts to give to significant adults in their life is looking for donations.

The 18th annual Children’s Christmas Gift House is a partnership between the North Okanagan Optimist Club, The People Place and many community volunteers. It will be held Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The People Place at 3402 27th Avenue.

The Gift House will offer children and youth from low income families, or in care, the opportunity to pick out a gift for the significant adults in their lives (parents, grandparents, foster parents).

“When they arrive, high school “elves” escort the kids through the Gift House to choose gifts while the adults are treated to a hot beverage and Christmas treat. The gifts are wrapped and tagged by our volunteer wrappers, and they go home with a smile and gift in hand,” Phyllis Dyck, Gift House volunteer with the North Okanagan Optimist Club, said.

The children that take part are identified by service providers.

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“We can not stress enough that the donations needed are for the adults. In other words, the children come to find gifts for the significant adult(s) in their life. Every year as well, more donations are needed for men that the children are shopping for,” Melanie O’Hara-Hutchinson from the People Place Society said.

The gift donations can be new items or re-gifted new items that people may have.

The gifts can be dropped off at the locations shown below before Dec. 7.

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