It’s one of the busiest times of the year for West Island resident Alana Bust Edwards.
For the past four years, Kirkland Mom has been bringing holiday joy and smiles to hundreds of seniors in the Greater Montreal area.
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This year is Edwards’ biggest ever, with 3,000 seniors serving 34 different residences. He and his dwarves are busy making sure everyone’s wishes come true.
“We have a lot of tags that need to be picked up, but we also have an online shop this year where people can pick up tags instead of going to one of our 12 locations,” Edwards said.
This year, Edwards has trees at 12 locations throughout the city, including Calzone Pizza, Provigo’s at Kirkland & National Bank in LaSalle, and one in Vaudreuil.
The trees are covered in tags with gift requests from seniors living in the residences.
This year is also the first year that people can get a tag online through Santa for a Senior MTL Website,
After you receive a tag, you must purchase the requested gift and drop it off at one of their tree locations.
Edwards would then wrap the gifts and deliver them to the residence closer to the holiday season.
“We are not a registered foundation yet, so we don’t get government funding, we can’t give tax receipts, so we can’t get the big monetary donations that any other foundation or charity would get, so we really Relies on the community to do it for us,” Edwards said.
This year, the Santa to a Senior MTL has attracted the attention of some big donors, including their wives. Montreal Canadienswho have decided to donate bath towels for this initiative.
Edwards also receives monetary donations from Dollarama and Matt Del Vecchio, along with Lianas Services Senior Transition Support, which helps her purchase items such as wrapping paper, boxes and ribbon.
“I’ve worked in shelters, I’ve had families with special needs, my mother has Alzheimer’s, and I know what people go through in shelters,” Edwards said. “I have seen firsthand how many people come, how many do not have families, how some live far away.
“So for me, just giving these little gifts—like a woman who asked for a book. For her, when she opens it, that look in her eyes, knowing that someone got it for her and that she’s I’m thinking – that’s what drives me forward.
AdWords estimates there are still about 200 tags left, which means there are 200 gifts left to buy.
The deadline to drop off your gift is December 3rd.
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