Ashley MacDONALD
Citizen staff
amacdonald@pgcitizen.ca
Kathy Nadalin, the current president of Elder Citizen's Recreation Centre (ECRA), knows better than anyone how to stretch a dollar and she proved it again during the preparation of the senior christmas gift bag project.
The idea was started in Kelowna by a group of retired Telus employees who wanted to give back to the community. The group decided to sew reusable fabric tote bags and stuff them full of items that people who are alone on Christmas would enjoy.
When Nadalin heard about the idea she went to work, recruiting some experienced sewers and pattern makers in Prince George.
"We've made 80 of these bags in the last couple of weeks. They are totally reversible and lined," she said.
The project proved to be so popular, it became a national campaign, with cities across the country participating. Telus has a budget of $1,000 for the Prince George bag makers to pay for material and items that go inside the bags.
The money comes from a 50/50 draw that takes place every payday where employees can opt to enter the draw with a chance of winning half the pot while the other half of the money is used to fund national projects like the bags project.
Nadalin thought the bags were such a great idea that she was willing to organize a group herself to make the bags but the telecommunications company thought the volunteer time should go towards the doing for dollars campaign, where retirees keep track of their volunteer hours every year and then Telus donates a certain amount to a local charity in return.
"In the bags, we are going to put a deck of cards, a book and a puzzle - because these bags are for people that are alone at Christmas. We put in some coffee or tea, or hot chocolate, breakfast biscuits and a nice big lap blanket that we purchase," said Nadalin.
In the spring, she happened to be out shopping when her sharp eye saw a sign advertising blankets on sale for $3.99 marked down from $14, so she bought 80 of them at once.
There are nine people involved in the project and once the bags are assembled and filled, they are transported to the Prince George Council of Seniors (PGCOS) and delivered to people who could use a little lift over the holidays.
"We really appreciate the bags that they make. They are awesome and people love receiving them partly because they get that unique bag. Men and women are thrilled to pieces with them," said Lola-Dawn Fennell, manager of PGCOS.
Marie Douglas, one of the volunteers, who is one of the sewers of the bags said that making the bags is part of a Christmas tradition for her.
"I'm so thankful for Telus's help in this project," she said.
"We told Telus we'd build the bags and build them we did," said Nadalin.
