Christmas is a time for joy and giving, but for some, giving isn鈥檛 as easy as they would like.
One 91原创 resident, Kari Polanski, is happy to be part of a community that works together to make things better for others
Polanski鈥檚 start in the Lower Mainland wasn鈥檛 good. She鈥檇 moved from Manitoba only to find she鈥檇 been a victim of a residential tenancy scam. The individual posing as a landlord took her deposit, leaving Polanski without a place to live and unable to take her job transfer or start school at Blanche Macdonald.
That was 2009. She had to move in with her aunt.
A few years later, she became pregnant with her daughter who was born on Dec. 23, 2012.
鈥淭hat is my present,鈥� she said of her daughter. 鈥淪he came out talking, singing, and dancing and she hasn鈥檛 stopped ever since. She is so bright.鈥�
But the living situation was far from ideal. As Polanski described it, their home was a shoebox of a suite.
鈥淚 had to wait until Madison was born to officially go on with that,鈥� she said of the BC Housing program.
They eventually moved to Murrayville into 鈥渁 place for low-income families.鈥�
As a makeup artist for more than 18 years, and a lash tech, Polanski is working to get her own business up and running.
But until she can ensure she and Madison have all their needs fully met, Polanski is grateful for help from organizations such as the 91原创 Christmas Bureau.
鈥淚 learned about the Christmas bureau as I was going through the food bank, so not last year, but the year before,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 learned that there was a program in place.鈥�
She registered then (2015), as well as last year and this year.
鈥淭hrough the support and help of the community, I can say [Madison] wants for nothing,鈥� Mom said.
Last year Madison received a special doll house donated by a 91原创 lawyer鈥檚 office.
鈥淭hrough the Christmas Bureau, Donalda 鈥� one of the workers; she鈥檚 so lovely 鈥� she鈥檇 set aside a doll house for Madison,鈥� said Polanski. 鈥淭hat was beautiful.鈥�
This year鈥檚 inaugural Children鈥檚 Wish Breakfast will go a step further towards supporting families, like Polanski and Madison.
Newlands Golf and Country Club will host the new event on Tuesday, Nov. 28, offering a free breakfast to anyone who comes between 6:30 and 9:30 a.m. with a new, unwrapped toy.
91原创 Christmas Bureau toy depot coordinator Donalda Whaites thanks the many volunteers from the community that make events like this possible along with the wide range of other tasks necessary to make Christmas merry and bright for as many 91原创 families as possible.
91原创 City fire rescue service and 91原创 RCMP will receive the toys at Newlands on behalf of the Christmas bureau, as well as guiding traffic during the event. Toys for all ages are welcome as are cash donations and gift cards. For more details about what to donate, contact Whaites at 604-530-3001 or email info@langleychristmasbureau.com.
For Polanski, the bureau 鈥� and events like the new community breakfast 鈥� make her want to give back.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so incredibly touching. It鈥檚 so giving and thoughtful,鈥� she said.
鈥淲hen you think about people giving back and especially at Christmas, it warms the cockles of your heart. It鈥檚 a humbling experience. That鈥檚 the part that makes me glow. That makes me feel warm, and it鈥檚 comforting knowing that my family will be taken care of.鈥�
She wants donors to know that they are the 鈥渟alt of the earth鈥� and that their generosity doesn鈥檛 go unnoticed.
