Thanks, everyone! The Times Colonist Christmas Fund is off to a great start!
We launched the annual fundraising drive on Tuesday morning, and within minutes the first donations started coming in, destined to help those in need.
By 4 p.m., 39 donors had been in touch by telephone and through the CanadaHelps portal. They donated a total of $10,305.
That was the strongest opening day that I can remember, so there is reason for optimism. But we have a long way to go if we are going to surpass the $1.12 million donated last year.
The Times Colonist Christmas Fund Society, a charitable organization, works with the local chapter of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller to get the money to dozens of community agencies in Greater Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
The idea is that to ensure the money is put to the best use possible. To that end, volunteers from the sovereign order research what qualifying organizations need, and what they can do.
It’s simple, really. We collect the money, the sovereign order distributes it, dozens of agencies spend it as best they can, and thousands of people will have a better, more comfortable winter.
The partnership works because the sovereign order is as stingy as the people at the TC who run the fund – and yes, I am one of those people.
The goal is to keep administration costs as low as possible, which means more money gets to the people in need.
We are proud of our work, but we realize that we are not responsible for our success. Full credit needs to go to the volunteers in the sovereign order, and especially to everyone who donates to keep this work going.
There is a lot of need this year, but we know that we can put smiles on faces this year – along with food in stomachs and warm clothes on backs.
All of us, working together, make a difference.
Over the next few weeks, you will read about our successes.
In the meantime, thanks. Let’s keep this going.
Dave Obee is editor and publisher of the Times Colonist.
HOW TO DONATE
• You can donate by going to the Times Colonist Christmas Fund web page, tcchristmasfund.com. That page links to CanadaHelps, which is open 24 hours a day and provides an immediate tax receipt.
• Or mail a cheque to Times Colonist Christmas Fund, 201-655 Tyee Rd., Victoria, B.C. V9A 6X5.
• You can also use your credit card by phoning 250-995-4438 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
