Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast presented by Quality Hotel, has once again, left us feeling overwhelmed with gratitude toward our community. We have been blown away by our community’s heartfelt involvement and generosity towards children in need. Together we raised a record of 1,600 toys and over $32,000 in financial support.  The morning included spirited Christmas Music, a visit from Santa, delicious breakfast buffet, a festive craft corner, photo booth magic and an enchanted visit from princesses. One mother said – “I love bringing my kids to this event! The best part is letting them pick out a gift for another child. It’s great way to kick off the season. The princesses were a big hit in our family too.”- Sarah

The success of this event would not have been possible without the investment from our community.  We would like to thank first and foremost, Quality Hotel & Conference Centre for their desire to host a wonderful community event and the heart of the staff to warmly serve.  A special thanks to the chef who put in extra time and care into the buffet and the staff who prepared the room overnight and then served in the morning!

Thank you to Teamwork Property Management for their generous support of Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast! Your enthusiasm for this event was evident in this year’s participation.  Not only did you increase your sponsorship investment this year, but your friendly staff was a wonderful addition to the volunteer crew.  Your whole hearted support and promotion of the event was invaluable.

We are extremely thankful for having Star 98.3 & Country 107 and their wonderful morning show hosts, live on location at the event.  Your presence created a buzz in the air and your “on-the-fly” flexibility was a huge life saver. The Abbotsford News was also instrumental in encouraging our community to attend. Together we were able to share our excitement with our community. This year we had the wonderful addition of Joytv as a media partner! Having their friendly hosts of Fraser Focus, Go! Calendar at the event was such a gift. We had so many people coming up to us to tell us that they saw our event on What’s On Magazine and Pattison Outdoor signs.  Thank you for sharing this event with a wider audience! We also want to make a huge shout out to all those who shared and promoted Toys for Tots on Social Media. Your support is amazing!

A huge thank you also needs to go out to our brilliant event sponsors. With sponsorship from Columbia Cabinets, Complete Eyecare, Envision Financial, FraserWay RV, Hub International Coastal Insurance Brokers, Imperial Finishing Ltd, Jack’s Towing Ltd., Jag’s Furniture & Mattress,  JMV Woodworks Ltd, Sevenoaks Shopping Centre, and Tri- Link Systems Inc. we were able to run a wonderful event at very little cost.  This means that we were able to maximize the financial benefit to those who really need the support this Christmas—the children of our community!

The event had amazing product sponsorship!  Thank you to Starbucks of Sumas & Delair for sending your coffee and making the drive thru delicious. We are so thankful to McDonalds Whatcom who also stepped up to provide coffee for the event and muffins for the drive thru!

One of the most exciting parts of the event was the entertainment lineup. A huge thank you to Envision Financial for making this possible! We are so grateful for the talented entertainment found in our community!  Thank you to Travis Thuro for your genuine love of Christmas music, MEI Chamber Singers for your enthusiastic renditions of classic Christmas Carols, to The Heights for sharing your beautiful harmonies and soulful talent, and to the Ever After princesses, thank you for making the day of many young monarchs in waiting. Santa, your merriment charmed the crowd, thank you. Thank you Cliff Prang, for your hilarious and inspiring emceeing, we appreciate your ability to keep the event running smoothly and with class.  Thank you Seven Oaks Shopping Centre for sharing your Santa with us! Thank you to Jason Janzen who made sure the audience was able to enjoy the entertainment by running sound.

Cheddarbooth, your ability to capture the joy in the moment will be cherished for years.  Thank you for being there! The craft corner was a hit, too. Thank you Cabela’s for providing a fun and organized craft for all to enjoy! Thank you Canadian Linen & Uniform Services and First Class & First Class Waste for providing the essentials needed to present one good looking and clean event. Thank you to Save on Foods, Gordon Food Service, Coca-Cola, Lepp Farm Market,  Mainland Machinery, Neufeld Farms and Vanderpol’s for donating ingredients for the most delicious buffet breakfast! Thank you Winks for providing such a beautiful door prize once again!

Last but certainly not the least, we were blown away by the support and commitment of the volunteers from Paramedics of BC Emergency Health Services, Firefighters of Local 2864, Envision Financial, Teamwork Property Management, and members of the community who pitched in to help!  Your ability to greet guests with enthusiasm, direct traffic, run toys, and help with clean-up was so valuable to the success of the event!  Thank you for your time and expertise!

Once again, our needs were met in ways that were unexpected. From unexpected sponsor investments to social media posts from supporters at just the right time, it all seemed to be supernaturally orchestrated to benefit those in need in our community.  As an event coordinator, this is humbling and heartwarming. The same is true in the circumstance of the families who need the Food Bank and Christmas Bureau. While each story is unique, Christmas is often a time full of anxiety and fear. When those worries are met with unexpected hope, lives change. When families are given the opportunity to celebrate a Christmas through the love and support of our community, hope comes shining through. Christmas becomes so much more meaningful when shared with others.  From all of us at the Abbotsford Food Bank and Christmas Bureau, thank you for coming together to bring hope and share the joy with children in our community.  Your generosity is overwhelming.  May you be filled with hope and joy this Christmas season.

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