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Santa’s Gone Toonie event bridges gap for kids to buy affordable gifts

Posted on December 3, 2019 by 40 Mile Commentator

MO CRANKER

Alberta Newspaper Group

Christmas shopping can be difficult for children — especially when they need to buy gifts for the adults in their lives.

The Redcliff scouts are hoping to get rid of that problem.

The group is hosting its third annual Santa’s Gone Toonie event Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Baden Powell Hall — it is first-come, first served.

“What we do is we collect items that kids can come in and buy as presents for $2,” said Redcliff Scouts group commissioner Rob Ewert. “This is a great way for young people to buy gifts for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

“We know it can be hard for kids to buy things for adults — this is our way of helping.”

Ewert estimates roughly 200 kids will turn out to do a bit of Holiday shopping.

When kids arrive they are able to buy four gift tickets before going into a separate room full of gifts. Adults wait in another room while kids shop.

“The whole idea is to keep the gifts as a secret,” he said. “We have a bake sale going on in the room where the adults wait, so can grab something if they’re hungry.”

Ewert says there will be a huge range of items to choose from.

“We’ve had everything from shirts, hats, clothing, dish sets, CDs, tools arty — it’s a wide list,” he said.

Funds raised at the event go back into the scouts allowing the group to buy equipment and take trips.

Kids who have to buy more than four gifts are able to circle back after their first trip to get up to four more tickets.

Wrapping services are also provided to the kids buying gifts. All items available for purchase have been donated to the scouts, Ewert says.

“Donated items come from businesses and people in the community,” he said. “We have volunteers helping us out and making this possible.

“It’s a real community effort.”

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