$60,000 in gifts, 24,000 gifts, 3,000 boxes, 300 volunteers.
Suffice to say it was a busy day at North Surrey Secondary.
City Dream Centre compiled about 300 volunteers on Sunday afternoon to help wrap, package, and stack gifts which will be donated to inner city schools throughout Surrey this week.
Each wrapped gift from the event contains eight toys, so that children have a variety of gifts to open on Christmas morning.
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The event has been around for seven years, although City Dream Centre executive director Loretta Hibbs mentioned that previously, the event was being run by a different organization.
“Lots of families in our adopted schools are facing a variety of challenges, just trying to find their way through difficult times,” said Hibbs. “The pressures of this season can be really stressful for them. We’re happy to be able to bring a bit of relief and a lot of smiles.”
The organization donates one gift to every student throughout seven inner city schools in the city, many of whom would not be getting a Christmas present otherwise, according to Hibbs.
During the event, children ran back and forth to the front of the gym to help build the ‘wall of 3,000 gifts,’ highlighting just how many gifts were being wrapped by volunteers on Sunday.
trevor.beggs@surreynowleader.com
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