santa parade braves the cold PAGE A3
writer follows her passion PAGE A11
troll aids good cheer PAGE A14
OBSERVER QUESNEL - CARIBOO
SINCE 1908
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
VOL. 100 NO. 29
www.quesnelobserver.com
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Looking for donations Good Cheer coordinator Diane Greenwood is anxious to fill the shelves at the Good Cheer depot in Maple Park Mall. With just over a week to go before distribution of the hampers, there’s still a great need for donations of nonperishable food, toys and cash which allows volunteers to purchase items that are either low in the depot or non-existent. Each year Greenwood is amazed at the generosity of the community and hopes this year is no different. Annie Gallant photo
Cold weather prompts extra funding to Seasons House AUTUMN MacDONALD Observer Reporter Due to extreme temperature dips, the province is kicking in additional funding for shelters. “Seasons House is funded extra during our winter months for extreme weather response (EWR),” Seasons House executive director Melanie Mac-
Donald said. “Locally this means that when the temp drops to -5 or there are severe weather conditions we go into EWR alert.” The funding is provided through BC Housing and runs between Nov. 1 and March 31. Each community decides on a local basis when to issue an EWR alert based
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on current conditions and local forecasts determining when locations will be open and the number of spaces available. “Seasons House is then funded for up to 10 additional people in our overflow area to provide services to them,” MacDonald said. “This funding is provided to us through BC Hous-
ing. An electronic alert is sent out by us via email alerting BC Housing, the city, RCMP and various other contacts so they are aware.” BC Housing answers to the Minister Responsible for Housing (Rich Coleman) through a board of commissioners. They work in partnership with the private and non-
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profit sectors, provincial health authorities and ministries, other levels of government and community groups to develop a range of housing options. Seasons House is looking for donations of new or used mittens, toques and general winter wear. “We are running very low and rely on the com-
munity for donations,” MacDonald said, adding food donations are also gratefully accepted. “We feed hundreds of people daily, not just those we shelter,” she said. “Many people spend their entire income on housing and come to us to eat on a regular basis. We rely on community support for this as well.”
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