Last year, the Everybody Deserves a Smile (EDAS) Powell River project worked to package and deliver 180 hand-painted gift bags for the homeless in the community.
According to Powell River EDAS lead Doe Fraser, the campaign received immense support from local groups such as First Credit Union, School District 47, United Church, Rotary clubs of Powell River and EDAS Comox Valley.
“This project is made possible by the efforts of these groups, as well as the Henderson Elementary School EarlyAct club and community donations of items to fill the kindness bags,” said Fraser. “This second year we are aiming for 200 bags that will be put together by the Henderson Elementary School, with contributions from the community. Our project started in town to help expand compassion and empathy to those in need, not only through the bags, but also through education.”
Fraser said kindergarten through grade 12 students learn about homelessness, addiction, poverty, leadership, project management and marketing, advocacy, communication, team building, collaboration, goal setting, gratitude and compassion. The lessons start a conversation and build on growing leadership for community service, she added.
According to Fraser, in the spirit of kindness, two local knitters, Verna Kazakoff and Christine Boyd, have spent countless hours on their own COVID-19 project in support of EDAS Powell River.
“They have knitted well over 100 hats, scarves and mittens to be placed in the kindness bags,” said Fraser. “The project still needs more of these knitted items, as well as socks.”
Any avid knitters who would like to donate their knitted pieces of EDAS can do so at a single drop box at the office door of the United Church on Crofton Street on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 9 am to 2 pm, or Thursdays and Fridays, from 10 am to 1 pm, until December 2.
Fraser said anyone looking for information or wanting to make a contactless donation can go to the edas.ca website to find a donation button. She said to annotate the donation in the e-transfer comment box for Powell River so the money comes to the Powell River campaign.
Financial support has already come through the Powell River Rotary Clubs, as well as First Credit Union and the United Way, through the Community Response Fund.
People with questions can reach out to EDAS through email at [email protected] [email protected]. The project can also be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
“Thank you for all of your support as a community on this project,” said Fraser, “and our work towards creating a more inclusive society.”
