The Rotary Club of Lloydminster is dialled into the spirit of giving with Christmas approaching.
Members were treated to a presentation about The Goat’s Christmas Wish by the radio station’s general manager, Evan Degenhardt, at the club’s Monday lunch meeting.
“This season it’s more important than ever that we bring a little joy and we spread some love during the holiday season,” said Degenhardt.
“The Goat’s Christmas Wish has been doing that for over 20 years.”
Degenhardt was introduced by Stephanie Munro, chief executive officer of the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation, who said it’s important during the holidays to do positive things.
“There’s always something great we can offer, so Evan is here to speak about how The Goat’s Christmas Wish came to be and a little bit about what they do in the community and the impact they have,” said Munro.
The timing was perfect as Degenhardt noted the first wish package was delivered on Monday morning with the remainder going out by Dec. 20.
“We were able to raise $50,000 in cash and product this year and that’s going to needy families in the area,” said Degenhardt.
“We surprise the families on their doorsteps and capture the moments to share with everyone.”
Since 2001, the Christmas Wish team has presented more than 160 unique wish packages and more than $1 million in funds and products donated by local businesses and individuals.
“The families that we go and meet, we start the conversation by saying ‘Hey, have you heard of the Goat’s Christmas Wish?’ and nine out of 10 families said ‘yes we have’,” said Degenhardt
“That shows the impact it has had the last two decades and change.”
Aaron Buckingham was on hand to help explain how the Christmas Wish kicked off to help an area family make their house wheelchair accessible.
“That first wish started off with about four community businesses to raise about $5,000 to not only build a new wheelchair ramp but to lower cupboards for the person who had a stroke— they couldn’t walk,” said Buckingham.
“We put it on the air and said we were doing this project and it turned into about $15,000 not in money but in trades that stepped up and did all the work.”
Degenhardt says from that start to 2024 the program has evolved in a number of ways.
“We at The Goat take great pride in this but it’s actually not really ours anyway, it’s the community of Lloydminster’s,” he said.
“We continue to do that to support people who might not have a voice and be so downtrodden they don’t know where to turn. It’s immediate human needs met at a critical time of the year.”
The celebration of gift giving extended to a Rotary donation of $5,000 to the Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre, toward the cost of renovating their kitchen.
In addition, Rotarians anonymously gifted a Paul Harris Fellowship in memorium to Rotarian Glenn Fagan who died last summer.
Charlene Rowein told the gathering Glenn is deserving of the award for sharing the values of Rotary Founder Harris.
Rowein presented Glenn’s wife Karen with a fellowship certificate and medal in Glenn’s name, plus $1,000 for legacy funding.
“It is through this gift Glenn will be honoured today for his exceptional service to Rotary and will continue to carry on Rotary Foundation’s work of worldwide education and humanitarian projects and programs,” said Rowein.
“What a wonderful way to honour and remember Glenn.”
Read more: Rotary icon honoured for service
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