Holiday card drive turning frowns upside down

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on November 8, 2022.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Emily Demers, Daicya Munton and Abigail Cumming, of the Holiday Card Campaign, are looking to deliver thousands of cards for those in the community needing a bit of holiday cheer.

The crew of Emily Demers, Daicya Munton and Abigail Cumming enjoyed the Holiday Card Drive as the Domesticated Divas hosted Holiday Handcrafted with Love YQL on Saturday at Southminster United Church.

The initiative allows the public to contribute cards, whether they’re store bought or homemade, and will give the gift of cheer to a senior citizen, veterans or community members during the holiday season.

Anything from kind and simple notes to personalized messages can be written in the cards.

The Holiday Card Drive was started by Munton in April 2020 when pandemic started at the same time her grandma got moved into a facility.

“And that year around the holidays, mom and I were the only two that were allowed to go visit her because of all the COVID restrictions,” said Munton. “And talking to the staff there, they were having a really hard time with the residents not wanting to participate in any of the Christmas activities because normally they’d have a Christmas lunch and they can have so many family members come. And that year, only half of the residents would come down to eat because their families couldn’t join them – like they were just so depressed.”

Munton asked the owner at Roo’s 100 Acre Wood Child Care and Learning Centre if the kids could decorate the cards.

“And for the two years, I just took cards from the day care just for the facility where she was at. And then when she passed away, I really struggled because we were super close. And so then it was maybe, like, to kind of keep my mind off of it. She passed away in August, it was ‘well maybe we’ll just like try to make a few more cards’ and keep me busy with that.”

The drive went from the day care decorating 50 cards to last year with over 3,200 made and delivered all over southern Alberta.

“This year, we’re hoping to make 5,000 and kind of keep it growing and then eventually hopefully have other places take over, and the dream would eventually be like this is something we do all over the country,” said Munton.

The soup kitchen will also be receiving 200 cards again this year.

“I think for me because it’s a personal thing and it’s something that I started with my kids – like for my grandma,” she said.

“For me knowing that she would be really proud of this and that her memory and legacy of being involved in community is something she’s handed down and that I’m now handing down to my kids.”

Cumming thought, for her personally, to see the card makers smiling while creating the cards is really nice.

“I work in one of the care facilities we donated cards to, and to open the cards with the residents, and see their smiles on their faces and knowing that they are enjoying them, is really selfishly wonderful,” said Cumming.

The deadline for holiday cards is Dec. 16.

More on the Holiday Card Drive and where cards can be dropped off can be found https://www.holidaycarddrive.ca/contribute.