If all two preschoolers wanted for Christmas was their two front teeth, hopefully they got them.
They more than deserved it.
“Two little sisters— they were so cute — the tooth fairy had given them $2 each,” explained Gayle Wolf, Western Wheel Cares campaign co-ordinator. “They each donated a $1 to Western Wheel Cares. They came in the office and they each gave me a loonie.”
The $2 donation helped put the 2018 Western Wheel Cares total at just over $49,000, which will be shared evenly between 10 Okotoks area charities.
Over the past seven years, Wheel Cares has raised $297,500.
The biggest donation was $5,000, given by an anonymous Okotoks family, which has contributed regularly to the campaign.
Foothills SNAPS (Special Needs Association for Parents and Siblings), was participating in Wheel Cares for the first time — its volunteers got right into the campaign.
“At Light Up Okotoks we came down to the Western Wheel and helped them sell 500 50-50 tickets,” said SNAPS president Kathy Thornhill, an Okotoks mother.
As well as raising money for SNAPS, the campaign also helped raise awareness for the non-profit organization.
Each of the 10 charities had a story featuring their respective organization leading up to the end of the campaign on Jan. 1.
Thornhill defines SNAPS as a community support network for families with disabilities.
“At Light Up I had different parents approach me and say: ‘Hey, I recognize you from that article — and my child has particular needs,’” Thornhill said. “We were able to have a good talk and I was able to help them with a few supports.
“It’s been an amazing experience.”
The money is needed, especially for the somewhat lower profile organizations like SNAPS.
“$5,000 is deeply meaningful to a small-town charity like ours,” said Thornhill, who has an autistic son. “We don’t get government funding, we know how to leverage every dollar we are given... I just want to say thank you to the community for supporting us… I’m hoping we can make it a little bit easier for families because I can relate.”
Western Wheel publisher Matt Rockley was also overwhelmed by Foothills residents’ generosity.
“It was excellent support for the 10 charities — I am really pleased those groups will get a bit of a funding boost,” Rockley said. “Thank you very much for those who supported the Western Wheel Cares fundraising campaign.”
He tipped his publisher’s hat to Wolf and the rest of the Wheel staff.
Wheel Cares has won Outstanding Community Service Awards in the annual Canadian Community Newspapers Awards in the past.
“That is mostly done by the entire Wheel team and the support of the community,” Rockley said. “We are already looking forward to another great campaign in 2019.”
The Wheel donated a portion of its advertising sales in its Christmas greetings issue to the campaign. As well, three 50-50s were organized by staff, which raised $2,300.
The 10 charities participating in the Western Wheel Cares campaign are Foothills Country Hospice, Habitat for Humanity Foothills Chapter, Magic of Christmas, Okotoks Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area, Rowan House Society, Sheep River Health Trust, St. Vincent de Paul, Pound Rescue and Foothills SNAPS.
