First we had Black Friday and then we had Cyber Monday 鈥� both days aimed at consumer consumption. But on Tuesday, the message changed. It was about giving, not getting.

For the second year in 琉璃神社, Mayor Colin Basran declared yesterday Giving Tuesday in the city, a day when the public is encouraged to give in a variety of ways to help others in the community.

鈥淐辞尘颈苍驳 off Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we want to turn that on its ear and show all we can do that 诲辞别蝉苍鈥檛 cost 尘辞苍别测,鈥� said Basran before reading the proclamation designating Nov. 29, 2016 as Giving Tuesday in 琉璃神社.

He read the proclamation at lunch time Tuesday, on the steps of city hall in an event organized by the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club and the United Way.

Richelle Leckey of the boys and girls club who brought the idea of Giving Tuesday to the city in 2015, said the idea is to show that in order for a community to be successful, everyone needs to give back in some way.

She said that could be as simple as helping your neighbour rake leaves or even smiling at people as you walk down the street.

鈥泪迟 诲辞别蝉苍鈥檛 always just have to be about giving 尘辞苍别测,鈥� she said.

As a result of last 测别补谤鈥檚 inaugural proclamation and Giving Tuesday event, Leckey said her organization noticed an increase in people coming forward to volunteer their time and effort.

鈥淭丑颈蝉 is more than a community 别蹿蹿辞谤迟,鈥� she said of Giving Tuesday. 鈥泪迟鈥檚 a global 尘辞惫别尘别苍迟.鈥�

The event started in the U.S. and was intentionally scheduled for right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which have grown in popularity as prime shopping days of the year on both sides of the border.

Volunteerism is strong in the Okanagan, noted Leckey, with the United Way estimating there are thousands of hours of time donated each year by members of the public to help a myriad of local groups.

The local chapter of the United Way holds a Day of Caring each year, where teams of volunteers go into the community for the day and help non-profit groups with chores that they need doing. Each year, that day has seen increases in the number of individual and volunteer teams that participate.

Following his reading of the proclamation, Basran echoed what he had said earlier in the day in a statement issued to the media about 肠辞耻苍肠颈濒鈥檚 decison Monday to expand the 肠颈迟测鈥檚 ban on sitting and sleeping on the sidewalks of 琉璃神社.

He said, despite the way it was portrayed by some, the move is not an attack on the homeless. He vowed city byaw officers would not be out 鈥�24/7 looking for people to 迟颈肠办别迟.鈥�

Basran said the move was simply a response to a growing number of complaints from individuals and businesses in 碍别濒辞飞苍补鈥檚 downtown who say sidewalks and access to businesses are being blocked by people sleeping.