“tis the season for giving and that can mean different things to different people, but for many out there, it can represent a lot of pressure and stress – that might be especially true in Alberta as the economy continues its slow rebound.
Last week, Statistics Canada reported a dip in provincial unemployment rate numbers to 7.3 per cent in November – a far cry from the national level of 5.9 per cent but leaps better than the nearly 10 per cent it hit at its peak. Part of the improvement in labour rates, unfortunately, was attributed to fewer people looking for jobs and not growth in the number of people back to work.
That means this Christmas is going to be another difficult one for many Alberta families hit hard when the economy sunk on the back of tanking energy prices.
Fortunately, Cochrane is known for its spirit of giving and since the economic downturn began the community has stepped up to ensure neighbours, friends and strangers don’t go without.
For example, The Cochrane Activettes Stuff a Bus and Share your Christmas campaigns help hundreds of families have a merry Christmas complete with food, necessities and gifts, and while those are the best-known events, there is no shortage of opportunities to lend a hand.
This year, the Helping Hands Society of Cochrane and Area is again running its Christmas Kindness Challenge. The idea is simple, encouraging people to go out and do good deeds for those in need. This week, we wrote about a community ringette team who exemplified that challenge when its players decided to donate their Christmas gifts to the Cochrane Activettes.
But giving does not necessarily need to have a monetary value as Jackie Shier, executive director of Helping Hands, said last week when asking people to share their kindness with the community.
Those deeds can be anything from shoveling a walk to helping to put Christmas lights up to giving someone a lift to the store so they don’t have to pay for a cab. As part of the challenge, Cochranites can include their deeds on Helping Hands’ challenge wall at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre. Hopefully that wall will feature hundreds of good deeds to demonstrate the community spirit that shines so bright in this town.
All around us there are those who need a little more in this Christmas season when stresses and pressures can pile up.
Why not take the time to do something to help make those burdens seem a little lighter and put a smile on someone’s or an entire family’s face?
We never know when we might be the ones who need a little help, so why not help when you have the means.
