Santas wanted: Yukon group needs holiday hamper help

Yukon's annual "Share the Spirit" campaign has pushed back thedeadline for donations to itsChristmas hamper program, as organizers struggle to meet demand this year.

The program provides hampers with food, clothes, toys and other giftsto families in need. This year the Whitehorse Firefighters charitable societytook over the campaign, after the Whitehorse Kin Club bowed out.

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"We're scrambling," said NicolasO'Carroll, of the Whitehorse Firefighters charitable society. "This is where we need the help of the community. We're doing all we can.

"We've got our food lined up, we have good cash donations that are coming through we still need some but sponsorships are really where the low point is," he said.

Child sponsorships down

O'Carrollsayschild sponsorships where sponsors get a wish list from a child, to add a gift to the family's hamper are down compared to last year.

Organizers put the word out on Monday that they needed more donationsand O'Carroll said many people responded immediately, but the campaign isstill only "about 75 per cent of the way there.

"Luckily the sponsors we have, have taken on quite a bit more. But there's only so much they can take on," O'Carroll said.

The gifts are usually small, like books, arts andcraft supplies, or building toys.

"They're very simple and humble requests. It may just be Christmas presents, but more importantly it shows some of these kids that we care,that they're not forgotten and we're trying to give them a good Christmas."

The campaign was supposed to wrap upon Monday but organizers decided to continue accepting donationsuntil Thursday.

O'Carrollsays there just seems to be more needin the community this year.

"We definitely see that firsthand, just bythe amount of referrals that have come through for families that are in need," he said.