Charity founder's idea to help community endures 29 years on
Today, we begin with the beginning.
The Leader-post Christmas Cheer Fund was launched Nov. 21, 1992, when Gregg Drinnan — then our sports editor — led off a series of stories that, well, continues to this day.
“Legend has it that sports fans have big hearts ... make that huge hearts,” Gregg wrote just over 29 years ago. “The time has come for fans in our area of the world to prove it.
“We are asking you to dig into your pockets, to open your purses and wallets, to dig into your collection of pennies and help put some smiles on some faces over the Christmas season.
“Send us your donations — nothing is too big nor too small — and the Leader-post Christmas Cheer Fund will do the rest.”
Then, as now, we are striving to raise money to assist women and children who are fleeing from abusive domestic situations.
Every cent goes to the Queen City's four women's shelters — Regina Transition House, SOFIA House, WISH Safe House and the YWCA Regina's Isabel Johnson Shelter.
A few things have changed since then. Christmas Cheer used to appear on our sports pages.
Gregg, bless his heart, now resides in Kamloops — although he still proudly owns and wears a Christmas Cheer sweatshirt.
Gregg eventually passed the torch, Cheer-wise, to Will Chabun, who several years later handed it to Irene Seiberling. This correspondent is honoured to be next in line.
To this day, our community should be so indebted to Gregg for the enduring gift that is the Christmas Cheer Fund.
“Even all these years later, I always watch for the first story signalling that the Leader-post Christmas Cheer Fund is up and running again,” Gregg said the other day.
“And I still get a warm feeling when I read that story.
“When I first approached (former Leader-post executive vice-president) Ed Schultz, I didn't have any goals or any idea of what might become of the fund. I just thought it was an opportunity for the newspaper to spread some joy in the community.”
Nearly 30 years have elapsed, but Gregg's recollections of helping to establish and then nurturing Christmas Cheer remain precise, and very dear to him.
“The thing I really remember is the way so many people responded to the fund,” he said. “It's like so many people were just waiting for someone to provide them with an avenue to donate money at this time of year.
“And it was the same here in Kamloops when I got a Christmas Cheer Fund started at The Daily News. People don't want anything in exchange for a donation; they just want to help others and I think it's because it makes them feel good.
“I loved hearing from the same people every single Christmas season and always looked forward to coming into work to the Christmas cards that would arrive with cheques, cash and stories inside of them, from the people who gave in memory of loved ones, from the couples and youngsters who collected bottles and cans all year in order to make a donation, from the people who would choose to give to the fund in lieu of giving someone in their family a Christmas present.”
To this day, good-spirited people still rally around and support the Christmas Cheer Fund.
Sincere thanks to all of them — and to Gregg Drinnan.