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The Rotar  y Club of Hamilton held its 22nd annual Rotary Children’s Christmas Celebration filling the tummies and putting smiles on the faces of over 550 children. COVID-19 couldn’t cancel Christmas for these kids! Yes, Virginia, there are many Santa Claus’ - the Rotary Club raised over $15,000 through Virtual Stockings. | ||
Magic took place on December 17th at Cathy Wever School. COVID-19 has made the annual event a challenge, to say the least, but the Rotary Children’s Christmas Celebration 
was not canceled….it just looked different! Normally, the annual event is a magical day that normally sees over 700 children gather and celebrate with Rotarians and more than 100 community volunteers in the school’s gym and all 700+ children are served a traditional turkey dinner. But, this year, the annual Children’s Christmas Celebration was different. With less in-person student enrollment due to COVID-19 there were just over 550 children celebrating. For some, this was their first Christmas in Canada and their first taste of holiday favourites such as cranberries. Along with traditional turkey there was Halal turkey for our new Canadian friends. The Rotary Club of Hamilton worked hard to make this event happen this year and to ensure that all the safety protocols were in place.
was not canceled….it just looked different! Normally, the annual event is a magical day that normally sees over 700 children gather and celebrate with Rotarians and more than 100 community volunteers in the school’s gym and all 700+ children are served a traditional turkey dinner. But, this year, the annual Children’s Christmas Celebration was different. With less in-person student enrollment due to COVID-19 there were just over 550 children celebrating. For some, this was their first Christmas in Canada and their first taste of holiday favourites such as cranberries. Along with traditional turkey there was Halal turkey for our new Canadian friends. The Rotary Club of Hamilton worked hard to make this event happen this year and to ensure that all the safety protocols were in place.
The wrapping and packing of books and gifts were done outdoors the evening before the event. Meeting in the parking lot of Dodsworth & Brown Funeral Home, Rotarians and Rotary friends wrapped all the items in the cold and snow to maintain safety restrictions.The Rotary Club did on-line fundraising of Virtual Stockings to help raise the funds needed to feed over 550 children and provide each with a new book and a gift. On Thursday, December 17th, volunteers delivered the books and gifts and then arranged for the delivery of individually packaged turkey dinner for all children. The sorting of meals by class was done outside and then a limited number of elves delivered the food to the classrooms.
“Our Rotary Members and Rotary friends still wanted to make Christmas special for these kids, so we pivoted and changed our fundraising and logistics to make sure we filled tummies and put smiles on the faces of the children, especially this year as so much has been canceled. We couldn’t cancel this, and we needed to find a way to make it happen,” said President Alex Moroz.
Each child received a gift pack made up of a new book, pencil case, earbuds, and pencil crayons. Classroom packages include learning materials and teaching aids for the entire class to use. Each child enjoyed a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings and a carton of chocolate milk delivered to their classroom.
Of course, a special visitor from the North Pole would be part of the magical day. Santa Claus (an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Hamilton) visited Cathy Wever School for this special day.
The annual Rotary Children’s Christmas celebration is a magical day for the 550 plus children at Cathy Wever School and a signature event of the Rotary Club of Hamilton filling tummies and providing many smiles thanks to the efforts of volunteers and members.