Nanoose Bay is overrun with elves! Residents are not only purchasing and wrapping gifts, they are also making special items to sell and donate to Nanoose Community Services (NCS).
Following a twenty year old tradition, residents are choosing tags from one of 10 trees dotted throughout the region, purchasing the gift requested (“pajamas for a 9yr old boy”, “$25 i-Tunes gift card”, etc.), and then returning the gift to the tree location. NCS elves then wrap the parcels and gift them to registered families.
Some families or groups in the area will also sponsor families or seniors. They will purchase gifts specifically requested by family members, wrap them and provide the whole package to NCS for distribution to “their” family.
The elves at Red Cod Forge Studio, Nanoose have been busy creating special hand-forged Christmas trees for which 100% of sales will be donatedto NCS. Debra and Dave Kasprick, founders of the Nanoose Bay Studio Christmas Crawl (December 12 & 13 from 10am to 4pm) will also open their studio on Friday December 11th from 4pm to 8pm to give visitors the opportunity to see the Christmas lighting in their outdoor sculpture walk as well as Dave’s new creation – the “Nordic Flame”, a large sculpted fire torch which will be the highlight of the night. Ten percent of all sales throughout the weekend at Red Cod Forge Studio will be donated to NCS.
To participate in the NCS Christmas Elf Program – pick a tag from trees at one of the following locations:
- Aspengrove School, Lantzville
- Coastal Community Credit Union, Nanoose Bay
- Fairwinds (Centre and Clubhouse)
- Hot & Cool Yoga, Parksville
- Jim’s Gym, Parksville
- Nanoose Bay Post Office
- Nanoose Place
- St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Powderpoint Road
No matter how donations are made, there will be many smiling faces in Nanoose this Christmas (both givers and receivers) – embodying the true spirit of the season.