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Vernon breakfast brightens Christmas spirit for seniors

Chartwell Carrington Place’s sponsored event raised more than $2,000 for NexusBC’s Making Spirits Bright
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Vernon’s Chartwell Carrington Place Retirement Residences sponsored a drive-thru breakfast event Nov. 23 that raised more than $2,000 for NexusBC’s Making Spirits Bright program, designed to help lonely seniors at Christmas time. (Morning Star - file photo)

Breakfast was a big hit with Vernon motorists.

A three-hour drive-thru breakfast event Tuesday, Nov. 23, sponsored by Chartwell Carrington Place Retirement Residences, and held in the parking lot of the Real Canadian Wholesale Club, raised more than $2,000 for NexusBC, a community resource centre for seniors with a branch in Vernon.

“Nexus has this wonderful program every year called Making Spirits Bright where they donate to seniors at Christmas time in the community, it’s a shoebox-style donation process,” said Twyla Wygle from Chartwell Carrington Place. “This year, Chartwell wanted to do something bigger to raise some funds for them so they could support more seniors.”

Vernon NexusBC employee Jade, who was one of the many volunteers helping with the event, expressed gratitude on behalf of the organization.

“People have been very friendly and very generous,” she said.

NexusBC has created a suggestion list of items for the box that includes nearly 40 ideas. Items sought range from ground coffee and tea, Vernon taxi ride vouchers, large-print puzzle books, hand warmers, hand sanitizer, heating pad, Kleenex packages, wrapped snacks (such as dried fruit, cookies, crackers, granola bars, pretzels), candy, chocolates, licorice or mints, spices or sea salt and honey, jam or jelly.

“For seniors in our community who live alone, are financially challenged and don’t have any relatives nearby, the holidays can be a difficult time,” wrote NexusBC on its website. “With the added hardship of social isolation, we feel that it is especially important for us to let seniors know they are cared for and not alone this Christmas.”

This the sixth year of the Christmas Care Box campaign. You can find out more information about the program here.

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roger@vernonmorningstar.com

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Roger Knox

About the Author: Roger Knox

I am a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. I started my career in radio and have spent the last 21 years working with Black Press Media.
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