Since December Madness got the spirit of the holiday season rolling on Dec. 2, Lake Cowichan has been in a festive uproar.
Christmas craft fair here, Christmas Hamper there, lights as far as the eye can see on the Christmas Light Up Tour, the Lions Christmas House, handfuls of Christmas fundraisers, Santa Clause appearing seemingly everywhere at once; the town looks spectacular.
And so are people’s attitudes. Everyone seems to be in a fantastic mood of late. The Gazette often reports on many of the Cowichan Lake-area’s fundraisers and it’s absolutely unbelievable how many fundraisers are happening this time of year.
The community itself raises thousands upon thousands of dollars for various initiatives, many to aid those who are less privileged.
Just between the Lake Cowichan Fire Department Toy Drive, the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Dinner and Auction and the Christmas Hamper, nearly $20,000 in cash, food and toys have been received.
Even Town Council has gotten in on most of these initiatives, taking time out of their political ongoings to give back to the community that they serve. I was overly impressed to see Mayor Ross Forrest and Councilors, Bob Day, Jayne Ingram and Franklin Hornbrook cooking and serving up lasagna lunches for all the volunteers that stepped forward for the Christmas Hamper on Dec. 14.
Without the community banding together the way it has in recent weeks, many of those who are less fortunate wouldn’t be able to enjoy the simple luxuries of Christmas that many of us regularly take for granted.
I was happy to have my mother Carmen visiting me this past week from Phoenix, Arizona (my parents escaped Saskatchewan this year to winter there). I got to introduce her to many of Lake Cowichan’s colourful characters and she even got to take in the Small Business Dinner and Auction, the Light Tour and Darlene Tully and Trudy Ammann’s artshow in Duncan. It was so nice to have family out at such a festive time of year and she was overly impressed with Lake Cowichan.
So give yourself a pat on the back, Lake Cowichan — you deserve it. Merry Christmas!