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Lakeland Centre for FASD rocked the sock for Giving Tuesday

The Lakeland Centre for FASD celebrated Giving Tuesday by filling stockings with Christmas goodies for their clients
Lakeland Centre for FASD WINTER online
The Lakeland Centre for FASD participated in Giving Tuesday this year through Rock the Sock. File photo.

COLD LAKE – The Lakeland Centre for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) rocked the sock for youth and young adults with the disorder this holiday season.  

As part of Giving Tuesday, staff members at their Cold Lake offices filled stockings with donated items for clients aged 15 to 24-years-old, to have for Christmas.  

Michele Huszar, program developer for the Lakeland Centre for FASD, explained Giving Tuesday is a global movement for giving and volunteering.  

“It happens the first Tuesday of December because it’s the opening day of the giving season,” she detailed. “We’ve been part of this movement for three years, but Giving Tuesday has been going on for eight years now.”  

The global movement helps not-for-profits, organizations, and businesses bring awareness to what each is doing and the cause behind what they’re trying to do.  

“It can allow people across the globe to contribute,” expressed Huszar. “So far, we’ve not had anything globally contributed but it just brings more awareness to be part of that movement.”   

Each year, groups do different activities and the local centre decided to do Rock the Sock.  

“We’re stuffing stockings for youth and young adults about 15 to 24-years-old that may not be receiving any gifts at Christmastime and this gives them something to receive at Christmas.”  

There were about 40 stockings filled to the brim with items such as toiletries, gift cards, socks, toques, scarves, books, puzzles, and other things.  

The plan was to have a huge event where community members could assist in putting stockings together, but the provincial measures regarding COVID-19 put an end to that.  

“We were going to have volunteers, but with the new restrictions we can’t, so it was just staff that put them together,” Huszar said. “We had the staff put the clients' names and what they’re going to receive on each stocking.”  

This is the second time the Lakeland Centre for FASD has put stockings together for clients, which was a "big hit" the first time.

“It’s more of a tangible way that people can give to us,and we’ve also done this year that if you don’t want to give items or you’re not sure what you purchase because you don’t want to get out and about, we’ll take even $20, which can make up a stocking. But, it seems that people realize that any small amount helps our clients have a good Christmas and this is one way to do it.” 

Robynne Henry, Bonnyville Nouvelle

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