The Christmas season seems to come earlier every year. For me, seeing a grinning pumpkin staring across the shopping aisle at good old St. Nick (aka: Santa Claus) just seems wrong. I think Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas proved the two seasons don’t mix. It’s enough to bring out my inner Scrooge and make me say, “Bah, humbug!” to the whole thing.
And the holiday season is my favourite time of the year. That’s why I try to focus on the spirit of the season instead: kindness, compassion, and giving. So when the Alberta Motor Association starting asking staff and members to support the Fill our Fleet program, which helps collect toys and food for families in need, I was sold. I mean, it’s what the AMA family does — helping others is our business.
So, we’re calling on our “family” — our members and AMA employees alike — to make Christmas special for those less fortunate in our communities by being someone’s Santa. Since 2012, every AMA centre in the province has spent a few weeks before Christmas gathering donations of new, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food donations. And in mid-December we join together in in a festive atmosphere to fill our fleet with pallets of donations for our selected charities.
Last year we managed to collect 60 pallets of toys and food donations along with over $75,000 of donations from our gift membership sales to put towards the cause. This year we’re aiming even higher — we’re shooting for 70 pallets of Christmas cheer.
The campaign officially kicks off next week, so check our website for more details. In the meantime, check out the fun we had helping our community in 2013.
