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For some B.C. seniors, these are the only Christmas cards they鈥檒l get

鈥楽o beautiful鈥: volunteer Langley bureau delivers 1,000s of cards crafted by school kids

On Monday and Wednesday, Dec. 11 and 13, Lynda Fourchalk was on the road, delivering 3,100 Christmas cards crafted by school children for seniors at more than 30 locations in Langley.

Among the drop-off points for Fourchalk, the card program coordinator with the Aldergrove-based , was Meals on Wheels, the food bank, St. Dunstan鈥檚 Anglican church in Aldergrove, and residents at one seniors apartment building, where she said an organizer advised 鈥渟ometimes those are the only cards they get.鈥

Fourchalk was impressed by the creativity of the young card makers.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e all just so beautiful,鈥 she enthused.

鈥淭his year, they used cutouts and glued things onto the cards like bells [and] one class did a little bit of braiding, like friendship bracelets, for one of the groups of seniors. Some did them on computer, a scenic thing with the person鈥檚 name on it and all kinds of different decorations.鈥

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鈥淢ay you enjoy the holidays and have a wonderful new year!鈥 was the message on one card from a student.

鈥淐hristmas is coming up soon, and I would like to find out what you do to celebrate the holidays,鈥 another wrote. 鈥淓very year, my family makes pancakes shaped as snowmen.鈥

鈥淚 hope you like this card!鈥 another said.

Teachers were encouraged to include their classroom and school to the cards, so seniors can write back.

鈥淪ome seniors like to write thank-you notes and that has resulted in a couple pen pal situations where they kept in touch,鈥 Fourchalk shared.

鈥淭he notes that these kids write are just so sweet, you can鈥檛 help but be affected by them.鈥

Fourchalk said getting a card can be an emotional moment for some seniors.

One woman, she was told, began crying when she received a card on Valentine鈥檚 Day.

鈥淪he said she hadn鈥檛 seen a card written to her with the word 鈥榣ove鈥 on it for years,鈥 Fourchalk recalled.

鈥淚t just shows you the impact it has.鈥

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Since 2021, the volunteer bureau has delivered more than 21,000 cards to seniors in Langley, prepared by students at more than 30 schools in Langley from kindergarten through university.

The program started during the pandemic to help combat the isolation some seniors were facing.

Fourchalk said it has continued 鈥渂ecause it鈥檚 just been so well received by teachers, students, and the [senior] facilities.鈥

Cards have also been sent out on Easter, Valentine鈥檚 Day, and Remembrance Day.

, also known as 鈥楲angley Volunteers鈥, is now a registered charity, formed to promote the value of volunteering and to connect volunteers in the community with organizations who need them.

Anyone who would like to register a senior or volunteer with the program can email cardsforseniors@langleyvolunteers.ca or visit .



Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I鈥檓 the guy you鈥檒l often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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