Shauna McGinn

Wakefield Emergency Fund delivers help for those in need

Local Journalism Initiative / The Low Down / January 14, 2025 / Shauna McGinn, Wakefield, Wakefield Emergency Fund, WCEF

By Shauna McGinn

The holiday season can make many folks feel stretched thin, juggling the financial demands of bills and necessities with gifts and extras. That’s where the Wakefield Emergency Fund (WCEF) comes in.

For more than 25 years, it has provided over $30,000 annually in relief to locals in need, acting as a safety net for tough times.

“Families start to feel the financial crunch as soon as school starts in September with added expenses, and then the additional costs that winter brings,” board member Andrée Grand-Maître wrote to the Low Down in an email.

Knowing this, the WCEF plans for their winter season initiatives as soon as the fall hits, with their snowsuit campaign starting as early as October. This year, they outfitted 26 local kids with warm winter gear.

“We work directly with local schools to identify families in need,” Grand-Maître said. “We have always been able to provide for every child.”

They also recently wrapped up their annual Toy Mountain campaign (for which the Low Down is a partner), providing gifts to nearly 100 children in need. Still, she noted that donations are down this year for some programs.

“It’s a reality of our current times, when more and more families struggle to make ends meet,” she wrote. While she said the WCEF feels confident all needs will be met, there is always room for extra help.

Right now, the Christmas Hamper program is underway in partnership with the Wakefield General Store. The Fund is aiming to provide at least 20 hampers, and could use support in terms of volunteers, food or financial donations. Grand-Maître noted that the WCEF supports local food banks and school breakfast programs that have also felt financial strain this year, so donations there would be an important boost.

She also highlighted the points transfer program currently underway at the Wakefield General Store. Until the end of December, “Folks can transfer their points to the WCEF account. Donations help provide much needed supplies and fresh goods to local families in need throughout the year.”

Grand-Maître said the community’s year-round support makes this work possible and “enables the WCEF to be effective in its quick response as the need arises.”

As their mission statement reads, the fund is “by the community and belongs to the community.”

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La Lanterne lights way for locals living with disabilities

Local Journalism Initiative / The Low Down / January 14, 2025 / intellectual disabilities, La Lanterne, La Pêche, Masham, Shauna McGinn

By Shauna McGinn

If one of your favourite holiday activities is taking in the festive decorations, consider adding a new place to your list: La Lanterne, a local organization whose members have crafted all kinds of unique handmade decor.

“They made up the Christmas tree, and this year we reused books and made table centerpieces,” said La Lanterne director Ginette Marcoux, adding that most of the crafts were made with up-cycled items.

Located in Masham, La Lanterne serves adults in the Hills living with intellectual disabilities, in both languages. The centre runs programs and activities during the day, from crafts and gardening to outings around the nearby community.

They also host an annual Christmas gathering for participants, their loved ones and the community, which took place on Dec. 19. It’s an event participants work hard to prepare for, and Marcoux said herself and the other staff would like to direct some of that holiday cheer back toward them.

“We really want to spoil them because they work so hard all year, especially when we’re doing our Christmas event,” she said, noting that participants often lend helping hands and companionship to local groups, such as the senior’s residence.

Marcoux said participants are currently in need of self-care items such as hair, body and facial care products, towels and blankets, and general toiletries. Treats like chocolates and candy or tea, coffee and hot chocolate also go a long way. There are currently 15 participants, and Marcoux said there’s room for more; she’s inviting local families to reach out and meet with her and La Lanterne staff.

Donations can go beyond winter or holiday-specific items, as Marcoux said they’re already looking to plan activities for the warmer months.

“We can always take something to use because, the day after Christmas, they’re going to start doing crafts for summer, for the gardens and things like that,” she explained. “We take everything that people don’t want, and we reuse it and try our best.”

For those looking to give with their time, Marcoux said they’re always welcoming volunteers to help and spend time with the adults at La Lanterne.

“Somebody could say, I can come once a week just to read a story, show them how to do something – we’re always looking for new things to do,” she said. “We’re looking for people even to just come and talk with them for an afternoon and hang out.”

Even if a donation or product doesn’t fit for them, Marcoux said La Lanterne staff are tuned in with the needs of the wider community.

“We never refuse a donation, and when it’s not useful to us, we’re always looking for families outside of here that it would be good for,” she said. You can reach Marcoux or other staff at La Lantern via phone, at 819-456-4896, or email, at direction@lalanterne.ca. More information is on their website, at www.lalanterne.ca.

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