FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HAMILTON, ON – December 15, 2020
Covid-19 won’t cancel Christmas. Rotarians and volunteers fill tummies and bring smiles to more than 550 inner city children at Cathy Wever School on December 17th, 2020.
Magic will take place this Thursday, December 17th at Cathy Wever School on Wentworth Street North in Hamilton. In a long-standing tradition, the Rotary Club of Hamilton members will feed over 500 children at Cathy Wever School. A tradition that started over 20 years ago!
Covid-19 has made the annual event a challenge to say the least, but the Rotary Children’s Christmas Celebration will be not cancelled….it just looks different!
The annual event is a magical day that normally sees over 700 children gather and celebrate with Rotarians and more than 100 community volunteers in the school’s gym. All 700+ children are served a traditional turkey dinner.
This year the annual Children’s Christmas Celebration will be different. With less in-person student enrollment due to COVID-19 there will be just over 550 children celebrating. For some, this will be their first Christmas in Canada and their first taste of holiday favourites such as cranberries. Along with traditional turkey there will be Halal turkey for our new Canadian friends. The Rotary Club of Hamilton has worked hard to make this event happen this year and will ensure that all the safety and protocols in place.
The Rotary Club has done on-line fundraising of Virtual Stockings to help raise the funds needed to feed over 550 children and provide each with a new book and a gift. On Thursday December 17th volunteers will delver the books and gifts and then arrange for the delivery of individually packaged turkey dinner for all children.
“Our Rotary Members and Rotary Friends still wanted to make Christmas special for these kids, so we pivoted and changed our fundraising and logistics to make sure we fill tummies and put smiles on the faces of the children, especially this year as so much has been cancelled. We couldn’t cancel this, and we needed to find a way to make it happen” said Rotary President Alex Moroz.
Each child will receive a gift pack made up of a new book, pencil case, earbuds and pencil crayons and will enjoy a tradition turkey dinner with all the fixings in their classroom.
The Rotary Club of Hamilton has also confirmed that there will be a special visitor from the North Pole. Santa Claus (an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Hamilton) is expected to visit Cathy Wever School for this special day.
The annual Rotary Children’s Christmas celebration is a magical day for the 500 plus children at Cathy Wever School. It will be a special day filling tummies and providing many smiles thanks to the efforts of volunteers and members of the Rotary Club of Hamilton.
The Rotary Club of Hamilton, at more than 100 years old, is one of the longest-serving clubs in Canada. The annual Rotary Children’s Christmas Celebration started over 20 years ago as a Christmas breakfast at Robert Land School. The magical event in its 22nd year and is only made possible by seeking sponsors, holding fundraising events and virtual on-line stocking donations. Each purchase of a $20.00 virtual stocking helps to feed two children and a tax receipt is provided. Donations can be made at www.rotaryclubhamilton.ca
Media Contact:
Alex Moroz
Volunteer Event Chair – Rotary Club of Hamilton